By Our Correspondent
Some concerned members of the Ogun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have raised the alarm over alleged plot to jettison, circumvent and violate the consent judgement which resolved the protracted factionalisation of the party in the state.
The members warned that if not quickly addressed by the party's National Chairman, Senator Iyiorcha Ayu, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), the alleged plot may renew the factional crisis between the rival groups loyal to late Senator Buruji Kashamu and Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu in Ogun PDP.
In a May 18, 2022 petition addressed to Ayu and obtained by our correspondent in Abeokuta, the PDP members claimed that some chieftains promoting the aspiration of a federal lawmaker and one of the House of Representatives aspirants, Hon. Adesegun Adekoya, were behind the plot to circumvent the consent judgment.
The petition titled, "Ogun PDP consent judgement is sacrosanct, violation is contempt of court" was signed by Abiola Adetola and Ademola Nasir.
They said, "These desperate chieftains are bent on imposing their preferred aspirant on the generality of party members against the interest of justice, equity and fairness.
"We want to state that imposition of candidates against the spirit and letters of the consent judgment of Ogun PDP is wrong, vexatious and amounts to contempt of the court. Giving a backup to the underhand tactic will precipitate crisis and renew the factional squabbles between the erstwhile rival factions in the Ogun State chapter of PDP.
"Mr Chairman, we therefore demand your urgent action towards salvaging our party and forestalling another avoidable crisis."
The concerned PDP members recalled that the consent judgment arose from the verdict given by the Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice M. O. Olajuwon on June 22, 2021.
According to them, this consent judgment spelt out the Terms of Settlement among the parties to the dispute and gave effect to the sharing of party positions between the Kashamu and Adebutu groups.
They explained, "You will recall that the Ogun PDP was factionalised for many years. There were two principal factions - Senator Buruji Kashamu Group and Hon. Ladi Adebutu Group. This gave our teeming members sleepless nights and made them disillusioned. In the wisdom of our party national leadership, a Naional Reconciliation and Strategy Committee headed by a former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was set up to find amicable and enduring solution to the protracted crisis in our local chapter.
"The Saraki-led Committee held several meetings with the warring actors and other stakeholders of the PDP in Ogun State with a view to resolving the dispute that gave rise to suit no: FHC/AB/CS/44/2020 which sought to challenge the suspension of some party leaders.
"The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice M. O. Olajuwon eventually delivered a consent judgment on 22/6/2021. This consent judgment spelt out the Terms of Settlement among the parties to the dispute. Specifically, the judgment gave effect to the sharing of party positions between the Buruji Kashamu Group and Hon. Ladi Adebutu Group.
"The judgment also detailed the operative terms which the parties agreed to. It further provided and guaranteed the security of tenure of all the persons nominated into positions in the Ogun State Executive Committee of PDP."
They further noted that one of the conditions stipulated by the consent judgment concerning candidates to be fielded by the PDP for the 2023 general elections in Ogun State showed that candidates for one of the Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, Ijebu North/Waterside/Ijebu East Federal Constituency and Remo Federal Constituency shall reserved for the Buruji Kashamu Group.
They, therefore, appealed to the Senator Ayu-led NWC to ensure the consent judgment in Ogun PDP was duly respected and upheld by the generality of stakeholders in the party.
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