PDP List Charges Against Oyinlola

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In a moved targeted at the possible expulsion of its suspended National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has submitted his names to the Umaru Dikko-led National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) for anti-party activities.

However, Oyinlola has made it clear that he will not appear before the panel, declaring it illegal since its constitution was not ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

Other names submitted alongside Oyinlola’s to the disciplinary committee included the former acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, former Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, and the Vice National Chairman, Northwest, Ibrahim Kazaure.

The four suspended national officers of the party are expected to appear before the committee on November 27, by noon at the Legacy House office of the party.

In a letter released to journalists yesterday by the Secretary of the National Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Onwe Solomon Onwe, who is also is the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, the four suspended officials of the party were charged with the following offences:

•That on the 31st August 2013 at the special national convention of the party at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the above-mentioned persons and others staged a walkout in a manner contrary to Section 58 (1) (b) (g) and (h) of the constitution;
•That on the 2nd day of September 2013, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola filed suit No. ID/704/2013 against the legitimate party leadership at the High Court of Lagos State without first pursuing the internal remedies of the party contrary to Section 58(1) (L) of the constitution;

• Since 31st August, 2013, the persons mentioned above have granted interviews and made statements in the print and electronic media not only disparaging the national chairman and other national leaders of the party, but also unduly publicising disputes/differences within the party, even in the face of the great restraint demonstrated by the national chairman and other national leaders against whom their calumny is targeted; this, clearly, contravenes Section 58(1)(i) of the constitution;

• That on 1st and 23rd September 2013, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, wrote two letters to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requesting the commission to recognise the persons above-mentioned as the National Working Committee of the party, even in the face of the national convention held on 24th March 2012 and 31st August 2013. This, also clearly, contravenes Section 58(1)(b)(h)(i) and (j) of the constitution of the party;

• That since 31st August 2013, the above-mentioned persons have consistently maintained that they are of the “New PDP (nPDP)” thereby promoting factionalisation of the party, and in doing so, recruiting to their ranks members of the party in the National Assembly contrary to Section 58(1)(b)(i) and (j) of the constitution”.

Onwe said in the letter that in in keeping with Section 57(4) of the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution, the National Disciplinary Committee has since informed the affected persons of the allegations.

“They are invited to present their own side of the issues before the National Disciplinary Committee,” the secretary of the disciplinary committee said.