…to determine Fagbemi’s fate
By Kayode Adeoti
Few months after it appeared peace had finally been restored to the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the leadership tussle between the sitting Chairman, Iyiola Oyedepo and Sunday Fagbemi reared its ugly head yet again.
Fagbemi last December approached the Federal High Court, sitting in Ilorin, to seek the termination of the executives of the PDP in the state under the leadership of Oyedepo arguing that the election that led to the latter’s emergence was ‘full of fraud’.
Plaintiffs in the suite include Chief Moses Ibiyemi who contested for the party’s Legal Adviser, Alhaji Lateef Adebayo Oloyin who lost out in the Secretary race, ex-officio contestant, Mr John Ashonibare and Mr. Hakeem Ajape Issa who contested the post of the Kwara Central Assistant Secretary.
PDP (first defendant), Oyedepo, Abdullateef Alakawa Gidado, Alhaja Fatmoh Gegele Magaji, Mahmud Haliru Dantsoho and Hon Gabriel Olatunji are defendants in the suit.
Those that were served the notice before now according to the writ of summon included the Wadata Plaza headquarters of the PDP, among others.
But, the presiding judge, Justice N. I Afolayan in his ruling last Thursday, discountenanced the four arguments of Oyedepo’s counsel, Rasaq Alabi.
Oyedepo, through his counsel had challenged the court that its lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
He has also posited that proper parties were not joined in the suit, pointing out that the former Kogi State governor, Ibrahim Idris’ panel was left out.
He further maintained that there were no reasonable causes of action, stating that the matter challenging the authenticity of Oyedepos’ executives is rather stale.
Alabi argued that Fagbemi’s ground of the preliminary objection should be discountenanced on the basis that it was not properly filed, saying he did not receive the process personally.
The judge ruled against all these grounds and adjourned the matter to May 25th, 2018.
Meanwhile, in the originating writ of summon, Fagbemi said the party congress held on 13th November, 2017 was null and void and was not conducted in accordance with provisions of the PDP guidelines.
He also alleged failure to conduct the said state congress with list of delegates approved for same by the National Caretaker Committee of the party.
He sought for PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the defendants from parading themselves or acting as the party executives.
He therefore asked the court to determine; Whether the State Congress Planning/Electoral Committee had the right to add, subtract or substitute the approved list of delegates given to it by the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP for the purpose of conducting congress of Kwara State Chapter of the said party;
Whether by virtue of Guidelines for the conduct of the State Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the decision/report of the State Congress Appeal Panel is not final on the State Congress, among other prayers.
He therefore urged the court to declare “that the State Congress Planning/Electoral Committee did not adhere strictly to the delegates list as approved by the National Executive Committee for the Kwara State Congress of the PDP on Nov. 13, 2017.
When contacted on the phone by our reporter, last night, Oyedepo, described the court ruling as inconsequential, stressing that it has nothing to do with the course of justice.
“For me, the matter is of no consequence, we are not bothered by anything, if the court says it has jurisdiction, there is always another court… my lawyer will know what to do about that, I’m not bothered about it,” he said.
