THE senator representing Ogun West in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has explained why the dissolution of the executive council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State and the South-West cannot stand.
The non-elective national convention of the party at the weekend dissolved the executive councils.
Kashamu, in a statement on Monday, said the party’s national leadership violated a court order with its decision.
He added that the judgment recognising the executive councils in Ogun and the South-West was never appealed and as such is still subsisting.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on August 11 ruled: “That an order is hereby made restraining the 2nd defendant from operating in the South- West zone of the party through any committee in which the applicant, Chief Pegba Otemolu and Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe are not members in the capacity of the secretary and chairman respectively of the South- West zonal executive of PDP pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“That an order of interim injunction is made restraining the 2nd defendant by itself, its officers, organs and delegates from recognising any harmonisation, restructuring or disruption of PDP leadership structures in the South- West zone (including any purported list of delegates for the special non-elective national convention of PDP schedule for August 12 or any other date during the tenure of office of the South- West Zonal Executive Committee of which the applicant is secretary, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
Kashamu said this order was discountenanced by the National Caretaker Committee (NCC).
He said: “It should be clear to all that Eddy Olafeso never had any case before the Supreme Court that he could benefit from.
“While it could be argued that the congress in Lagos State was inconclusive, the dissolution of the state executives in Osun and Ogun states was a clear travesty of justice. The congresses of these states were affirmed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) before the May 21, 2016 botched convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Kashamu said, “the supremacy of any party’s constitution is subject to the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as clearly stated in Chapter 1, Section 2 of our party’s constitution”.
He added: “The Ogun State PDP executive under the leadership of Adebayo Dayo has a court judgment and orders legitimising it as the duly and validly elected state executive until 2020. This clearly allows the Adebayo Dayo-led executive to remain in office and carry out all its due responsibilities and functions.
“For the above reasons, the Dayo-led executive will remain in office till 2020 regardless of its purported dissolution, because the action taken by NEC and convention of the party is an illegal act.