as Kashamu faction describes the Congresses as Illegal

James Ogunnaike

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by the National Working Committee (NWC) in Ogun State has conducted the State Congress to elect new executive members that will direct the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The newly elected executive members led by Hon. Sikirulahi Ogundele vowed to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2023.

The Congress came more than two months after a faction of the party loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu had elected Samson Bamgbose – led executive members.

Ogundele promised to run all-inclusive administration that will bring all aggrieved members together towards building a virile and united PDP ahead of 2023 election.

He said: “one thing that I have been able to achieve during my preliminary exercise is to bring all the parties back to PDP. Today, we have convinced ourselves of the reason why we have to come together”.

“PDP is ready to take power in Ogun State. The people of Ogun State have been robbed but come 2023 they will see the light through PDP.

“I want to thank God that we have our party back. The national organ of the party has intervened based on a current court judgement. Based on my activeness and uprightness, I have been unanimously elected as the Chairman of PDP, Ogun State chapter”.

“The people have tasted the government of PDP and they are tasting the hardship of APC. During the regime of Chief Olusegun Osoba, the state used to be known as civil servants state where workers were receiving their salaries as at when due.

“When Otunba Gbenga Daniel came on board, the state economy was turned to a viable one. But the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun has taken us back.  A government that doesn’t have a blueprint. It only embarked on whatever comes to his mind. He just woke up in the morning and decided to demolish houses. For eight years, there was no blueprint.

The Chairman of the Congress Committee, Deji Ogunsakin told newsmen that the latest Congress had brought unity into the party.

Ogunsakin, who was the PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in Ekiti 2018 gubernatorial election, said the exercise was conducted following the directive of the NWC of the party.

While declaring that there was no court injunction against the Congress, Ogunsakin said the PDP “is now united in the state and ready to win the 2023 election.”

He said: “This is the first time in a very long time we are conducting a very peaceful Congress in Ogun State. As far as I am concerned, there’s no legal battle going on in PDP. The one that happened during the election in 2019 has come and gone. The supreme court pronunciation has put every legal battle to rest.

“I am not aware of anybody in court injunction stopping this process. I am not aware of any court litigation going on. As I’m talking to you, there’s no injunction stopping this process. Nobody has gone to court to stop this Congress. There’s no court pronouncement stopping this Congress.”

On his part, Dayo described the exercise as peaceful, saying the development has put an end to the crisis rocking the party.

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“The issue within the party is a normal thing. 99 per cent of party members are still together. The party is still 100 per cent together and there’s no division among us. Our leaders have the power to resolve any crises and at the right time, they will come together for reconciliation”.

Everybody is together and I have seen the unity among us. We are now together, I have seems different faces, we have sat together. If there’s any room for more reconciliation, we will surely do that at the appropriate time. Ladi Adebutu and the Deputy National Chairman are here, the party is now one in the state. I am sure PDP will be in Government House in 2023. From what I have seen, the unity we have been craving for is here now. I Know with this unity, nothing can stop us in 2013″.

“It is only the Congresses conducted in Ogun State by the Bayo Dayo led executive that is legal and I am exercising the powers given to me by the court judgment of 2016. That’s the judgment that empowers me and my executive to be in office up to the time of this Congress. And to handover the result of this Congress to the NWC in Abuja,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senator Kashamu led faction of the party has described as illegal the fresh party congresses conducted by the Adebutu faction.

In a statement issued on Monday by the State Chairman, Hon. Samson Bamgbose, and made available to Vanguard 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 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.

Vanguard