Ogun PDP Condemns Fresh Congresses, Describes It As Illegal

The Ogun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the fresh party congresses purportedly conducted in the state as illegal.

The party spoke against the backdrop of the State Congress conducted on Monday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the state capital.

A statement issued on Monday by the State Chairman, Hon. Samson Bamgbose, said; “The contraption called congresses were a deliberate and criminal affront on the rule of law.

“It is even more so that they resorted to self-help and criminal contempt after they lost the suit that they filed against us at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“In the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/208/2020, they sought the permission of the court to conduct these same illegal congresses.

“The Federal High Court Abuja in its judgment delivered on the 21st of July, 2020 denied them the permission and pointed out that such an exercise would be illegal in view of the previous judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/636/2016.

“That judgment delivered by the Honourable Justice Ahmed Muhammed expressly stated as follows; the finding of this court that the issue in contention herein has been successfully and adequately put to rest by my learned brother, I.N. Buba in suit FHC/L/CS/636/2016.

“In consequence thereof, I find this suit as an invitation on this court to examine or review the decision of my learned brother, I.N. Buba in Suit No. 636/2016, which invitation I will not accede to. I am not competent to do that.

“The plaintiff (PDP) and all the defendants are bound by the decision in Suit FHC/L/CS/636/2016.”

Bamgbose said before the final judgment of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, the Abeokuta Division of the same court had on the 24th of April 2020 held in Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/44/2020 that “…the parties shall respect the principle of lis pendens and maintain status quo antebellum pending the hearing and determination of the Applicants’ Motion on Notice which is already filed before this court.

“Although we understand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not monitor or attend the contraption called congresses, we reasonably believe that the Commission ought to know that the purported Notice of Congress vide the letters dated 21st and 22nd July, 2020 is incompetent having not been issued in line with the provisions of Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which states that, ‘A registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act’.”

Bamgbose appealed to all members of the party not to be dismayed, adding that “the congresses purportedly conducted by the defectors and fifth columnists within the party will not stand the test of time and the law. It is like a house built with spittle. It cannot stand; it will crumble like a pack of cards sooner than later.”