Wadata Plaza, national headquarters of the PDP...battle front today?
Wadata Plaza, national headquarters of the PDP…battle front today?
By Olajide Fashikun
As work resumes today, there are plans to lock out the sacked National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (as reported by www.gongnews.net). However, the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of today may be the battle ground to stretch muscles.
Oyinlola whose removal by a Federal High Court, Abuja may be barred from either entering the Secretariat or and the NWC meeting, said our source.
Two major parties are fighting proxy wars. Embattled National Chairman Bamanga Tukur is said to be leading a faction loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan. Oyinlola, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s nominee, has the governors of the PDP on his side.
Oyinlola to be replaced: Part of the decisions of the NWC, if it holds, is to make Deputy National Secretary Onwe S. Onwe take over as Acting National Secretary. He has been asked to be on standby.
Oyinlola, on the other hand, has vowed to be in the office this morning. His team of lawyers have concluded papers to get the stay of execution of the judgment of the lower court and proceed to the Court of Appeal.
The Tukur flank have resolved to ask Oyinlola to obey the court’s order, prosecute the Appeal from outside the office. They sited the case of the former national chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor. Although, one is civil and the other was criminal.
Interpretation of court order: It was gathered that the Tukur end claimed that the High Court gave a declaratory order, which must first of all be complied with by Oyinlola before seeking redress. While the Oyinlola end claimed there is nothing declaratory about the orders of that court in the matter in question.
A pro-Tukur folk said: “In challenging a declaratory order, Oyinlola would have to first of all obey and return to the same high court to file a notice of appeal and file a motion at the court for injunction to restrain the PDP from enforcing the judgment.
“After doing that, Oyinlola will also proceed to the Court of Appeal to appeal the judgment. We have sought and gotten legal opinion on the matter. So while that is on, the Deputy National Secretary will be asked to act as the National Secretary.
We could not reach the Oyinlola’s camp for their comments on the latest developments. As at weekend, a source had told this paper, “Oyinlola will resume in his office on Monday and discharge his duties as the National Secretary because he has filed a motion at the Court of Appeal for a stay of execution of the judgment.