Don’t allow judges to be used to truncate democracy in Osun, SDP warns judiciary

THE Social Democratic Party (SDP) has warned the judiciary not allow its judges to be used to truncate democracy in Osun State by granting injunctions to “disgruntled members” who seek such through “inordinate means”

The SDP leadership said the warning became necessary owing to the need to salvage democracy in Osun State and protect the sanctity its party against activities of suspended members who had resorted to “seeking court injunctions through illegal means in connivance with members of the opposition parties in the state to create the crisis in SDP.”

The deputy national chairman of the party, Dr Abdul Ahmed Isiaq, had, on Friday, led other party leaders to Osun to assess situations and conduct the ward and local government congresses, which began on Saturday and to be concluded tomorrow.

At the pre-congress meeting at the party secretariat in Osogbo, the state’s steering committee secretary, Mr Taiwo Akeju, had told the party leaders that there was no crisis in the party, and members were united in their drive to contest with rivals to win the governorship election come September 22.

Isiaq, responding attested to the peace, saying complaints did not match with the reality on ground and thereby told party members to maintain peace and cautioned against involving in any activity that could cause divisions in the party.

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However, the party had expressed its disapproval against the activities of the suspended former state chairman, Mr Ademola Ishola, and former secretary, Mr Femi Awe, also suspended, whom it said were not in the interest of the principles and rules of engagement in the SDP.

In a letter addressed to Mr Ademola Ishola, dated June 21, 2018, and signed by the national secretary, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, it stated that he was suspended based on “serious acts of disloyalty and sabotage against the party.”

Hence, the party advised the court against granting court injunctions to suspended members, who are illegally parading themselves as executive members at the local government, stating that the SDP had no executive member in the wards and local governments across the federation.

“No one can introduce himself as a local government chairman of the party, that is fraudulent, so, no party member has a loco standing to go to court on the executive level, it is a fraud and the court should not allow itself to be used.

“SDP has no ward and local government executive all over Nigeria and anyone who goes to court as one is a fraud and a usurper, who are not known to the party structure and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), likewise, any judge who grants such an injunction is an accomplice.

“We are ready to report judges granting illegal injunctions and handling their cases to the National Judicial Council (NJC) since it is tantamount to upturning justice, which can also truncate the internal party politics and democracy in Osun State,” the SDP said.

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The party said it only elected its ward executives on Saturday and would conclude the Congress tomorrow with the election of local government executives.