By Richard Ayinde, Osogbo.
The State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party in Osun State, Hon. Clement Olasoji Adagunodo has described a purported query that was allegedly issued by the State Secretary of the party, Prince Bola Ajao, under the instructions of the factional party Chairman of supporters of Senator Ademola Adeleke for Governor group known as The Pathfinder Team as illegal, null and void and of no effect.
Adagunodo who expressed shock in a release on Wednesday in Osogbo and made available to news men said all what Prince Bola Ajao did amounted to flagrant violation of the constitution of the party because the constitution of PDP is clear enough that a factional chairman has no power or authority to direct the State Secretary to carry out such a function to call a selective executive meeting.
According to Hon. Adagunodo, “the composition of the State Executives of the party in Section 24 (1) (a) – (x) states clearly those who must be on seat before the party can issue queries to members of the State Executives Committee in case there is an infraction.”
Adagunodo added that “a factional Chairman of a pressure group like Sunday Bisi, the legally recognized Publicity Secretary of the party has no constitutional power/authority to delegate power, assign or give the State Secretary any instruction to act the way he did.
According to Hon. Soji Adagunodo, the queried officers are not bothered about the illegality going on in Osun PDP under the factional Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi and they will take appropriate action if necessary on the purported query issued to them, however, they largely rely on the pronouncements of the Court, because:
- They have been reporting to PDP Secretariat, located at the King’s Square, Opposite BIKET Hospital Junction, Ikirun Road at regular intervals and holding meetings as occasion demands more so that they have not been invited to their factional meetings for obvious reasons.
- As far as law is concerned, Adagunodo remains the Chairman because the ruling of Ikirun High Court of November 9th, 2020 has neither been vacated, nor appealed.
- Even Court of Appeal Akure, for the fact that it refused to uphold Ground 6 of the Appellant, did not remove Adagunodo as Chairman. (See the case of Mafimisebi Vs Obaruntan)
- No Court in the land has ever made specific order or judgment that the usurper is the Chairman of PDP in Osun State or that he should return to office as Acting Chairman after his removal of 3rd November, 2020 and the validation of same on 9th November, 2020 in a preservative order granted Adagunodo to continue in office pending the final determination of the substantive case. They should not add what is not contained in the Court of Appeal Judgment into it.
- For the fact that the purported removal from office by NWC has never been approved by NEC of the party, Hon. Soji Adagunodo remains the chairman, whom they reported to in compliance with Section 59 (3) (a) to (x) of the Constitution of the Party.). The NEC has held at least three or four meetings after the purported suspension and the issue or ratification of same was never tabled or discussed.
- Even the usurper’s unlawful appointment by the National Working Committee was set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction on the 9th of November, 2020 which decision restored me back to office as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State Chapter which is still very valid, subsisting and binding on all parties as same is yet to be appealed against or set aside by an appellate court of competent jurisdiction.
- In what capacity can a fellow Exco member query another fellow Exco member? None.
- It is the person that issued the Query that should be sanctioned for factionalising the Party and for holding purported Selective State Exco Meeting in a private residence and building. (See the case of Inakoju & ors Vs Adeleke… ) (Governor Rasheed Ladoja’s case).
- It is interesting and rather unfortunate that, the usurper who precipitated the first crisis, without waiting for it to be resolved or making any move whatsoever in resolving the crisis in Osun PDP have now scaled up their desire to destroy the party, by stirring the hornest net. This is not an issue of the opposition party to blame, as the usurper are trying to deceive the unwavering, rather it is a self inflicted injury, born out of inordinate ambition and financial gains. It is not going to work. They have, for the second time, thrown their hat into the rings; we are very ready to accept the challenge. It is a matter of ” iron will bend iron.”
The party will not cede her control and authority to power Merchants who are wining and dining with the opposition Government at the Federal level and in some states yet pretending to be sympathetic to the course of PDP in Osun State. The party will confront the gamers and enhance our electoral values and ultimate victory in 2022 by the Grace of God.
Going by the above analysis, Hon. Adagunodo said the purported query of our seven officers is in total violation of the provisions of the constitution of the party which vested the power to query erring officers or members of the state Executives on the State Executive Committee of the party as entrenched in the constitution not a selective one as done by the factional executives loyal Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke and the query should be discarded, disregarded and treated as null and void and of no effect.
