Oyinlola Vows Not To Appear Before Dikko's Panel

 

nPDP National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola has made it clear yesterday that he would not appear before the panel, adding that the PDP constitution stipulates that a disciplinary committee can only be legally constituted if its composition is ratified by the party’s NEC.

“I am sure the membership of the Umaru Dikko panel is yet to be ratified and approved. I also feel sure that elders of the party, so appointed, know the rules and regulations which must not be violated. If they sit to consider any matter, such would amount to nullity and acting in vain,” the suspended national secretary said.

He added that as a law-abiding member of the PDP and free citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he would not be an accomplice or accessory to constitutional violations, considering especially the fact that he swore to an oath of office stipulating that he will respect and protect the grundnorm of the PDP in his capacity as the custodian of the seal of the party.

His reaction, which was contained in a statement released in Abuja and signed by his Principal Secretary, Femi Adelegan, said Oyinlola was conscious of the provisions of the PDP constitution, which state without any equivocation that “nominations to membership of the disciplinary committee at the national level shall be ratified by the National Executive Council of the PDP.

“In effect, Oyinlola, as a law-abiding member of the PDP is not aware of the composition of any disciplinary panel that is not ratified or known to the National Executive Committee of the PDP.

“This reaction, itself is being made out courtesy for the media and its right to be informed as Oyinlola has not received any correspondence from any quarters and would not honour any invitation from any illegal body since that would amount to violating the constitution of the party.

“As individuals and elders, the PDP National Secretary has great respect for the members of the NWC committee that is, however, not recognised by the PDP constitution which stipulates that the party’s NEC is the statutory body to approve the composition of a disciplinary body at the national level.

“It is important to stress that the first meeting of NEC of PDP, which is statutorily expected to be a quarterly affair, deliberated on the composition of the disciplinary committee but never agreed on its membership at the meeting.

“I am also sure that the second NEC meeting, out of the seven meetings that ought to have been held statutorily by the present NWC, did not also agree on the membership of any disciplinary committee.

“It is therefore rather funny, illogical and antithetical to democratic conduct, for the NWC that has consistently denigrated the judiciary, the constitution of the PDP, and even the extant grundnorm of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to be talking about discipline and internal party democracy, when it has continued to show disregard for the rule of law, and fundamental human rights,” he stated.