Appeal court adjourns Ogun PDP leadership crisis suit

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan yesterday adjourned the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against the Chief Adebayo Dayo-led executive committee in Ogun State till November 20, 2018, after striking out the motion for extension of time to appeal.

The court struck out the application for time extension based on the objection of the lead counsel to the Dayo executive, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) who argued that the ruling sought to be appealed against was not attached to the motion on notice.

The embattled group is being backed by the lawmaker representing Ogun East in the Senate, Buruji Kashamu.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta had weeks back ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Uche Secondus-led national leadership of the party to accept and process the list of candidates and delegates submitted to them by the group for the 2019 general elections.

It gave the order while ruling on a motion for interlocutory injunction after entertaining arguments from counsel to the state party executive, Mr. Ricky Tarfa (SAN), who noted that the court had on September 28, 2018 ordered that the defendants be put on notice before adjourning till October 2, 2018 for definite hearing of the motion for interlocutory injunction.

The same court had also penultimate week reiterated its order directing the PDP and INEC to accept and process only the list of delegates and candidates submitted by Dayo executive for next year’s polls.

The court ruled while considering an application seeking to set aside the orders made by it on October 2 compelling the defendants to recognise the Dayo- led executives.

The court, in its judgment, had dismissed the application seeking to set aside the October 2 order and proceeded to reaffirm the orders.

The court further stated that it did not give any order stopping the national convention of the PDP but only directed the party to accord recognition to the list of delegates attached as Schedule A to the motion for interlocutory injunction.

The current suit before the Court of Appeal is to overturn the order of the Federal High Court mandating the PDP and INEC to accept and process only the list of delegates and candidates submitted by the Dayo executive.

The Abeokuta high court had equally granted a stay of the proceedings and adjourned the matter till December 13, 2018 pending the outcome of the appeal against its interlocutory orders/injunctions.