PDP faction heads for S’Court against Obasanjo’s group (Punch)

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State on Monday said it had dragged the Chief Ireti Oniyide Caretaker Committee before the Supreme Court over the crisis in the party regarding the state local government election.

Oniyide’s committee is said to be made up of loyalists of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The Chief Adebayo Dayo-led faction of the Ogun PDP said in a statement by its Organising Secretary, Segun Sowunmi, that the group decided to approach the Supreme Court to secure an order for the stay of execution of the recent order of the Court of Appeal.

The Appeal Court had ordered a stay of execution of the judgments of the lower court in the cases involving the two factions of the Ogun PDP.

The party, however, said it had taken its case to the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/259/2012, with a view to getting “an order staying the execution/operation of the order the Court of Appeal made in CA/L/38m/2012 on the strength of which some of these characters are said to be representing the state PDP”.

The PDP faction backed by businessman and party financier, Buruji Kashamu, stressed in the statement that it was not aware of the existence of any caretaker committee.

It added, “Even if one existed in their small minds, it is a clear contempt of even the Court of Appeal order of stay of execution which they flaunt with so much gusto, and three other judgments of the State High Court and the Federal High Court. At the appropriate time and forum, this will be sufficiently addressed.”

The party said it was committed to “dismantling the house built on the quicksand of illegality by the State Independent Electoral Commission and some estranged members of the party.”

The Ogun PDP added that it would not allow itself to be distracted by the antics of some “small minds who specialise in writing frivolous petitions.”

The faction also described Kashamu, as “a man of peace who towers above the petitioners in conduct and character.”

It added, “It is public knowledge that Prince Kashamu prosecutes his battles in the court of public opinion and the court of law.”

The faction urged the security agencies to invite the petitioners to provide them with the details of the alleged plot (of threat of lives by Kashamu) “since their so-called petition is hollow.”