National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has dragged the ruling party to court over his recent suspension announced when he was supposed to resume office as ordered by an Abuja Appeal Court.

“This is indeed maladministration which cannot be justified and we have gone to court to contest that reckless act of illegality,” Oyinlola said through his principal secretary, Femi Adelegan.

The former Osun State Governor lambasted PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, for allegedly seeking to deceive Nigerians in an interview in yesterday’s edition of Daily Sun in which he sought to justify his suspension.

He accused Metuh of “standing logic on its head in an attempt to hoodwink the citizenry and muddle up confuse informed opinions that are clearly not in favour of Bamanga Tukur’s National Working Committee’s attempts to ambush the Judiciary and circumvent rules and regulations.”

He dismissed the disciplinary committee to which he and other suspended party chieftains have been referred as illegal, saying that a new one would later be properly constituted by the NWC. Below are excerpts of Oyinlola’s reaction as contained in a statement made available to News Express:

“Rather that pursue the path of honour, the NWC is engaging in a macabre dance of shame which has ridiculed Nigeria in the eyes of right thinking members of the global society.

“The contradictory explanations contained in the publication simply tell solid stories of robust disregard for constitutionalism and the rule of law, as well as a deliberate blatant assault on our courts, without due regard for good conscience and morality. The opinion of Metuh suggests that the need to suspend Oyinlola, Baraje and others was considered as an act of emergency by the NWC, which considered it expedient to nail the accused officials without following the due process instead of respect for the rule of law. But Nigerians who are highly educated cannot be fooled because everybody knows that the only emergency in that decision was the grand design to prevent Oyinlola from resuming office as national secretary in accordance with the order of the Court of Appeal that reinstated him to office as National Secretary of the PDP.

“Without any doubt, it is highly ridiculous that the PDP national publicity secretary could advance the argument that the NWC considered some allegations concocted by the same organ of PDP to summarily suspend members of its National Executive Committee of the party and goes ahead to state that it was not necessary for the NWC which assumed the role of the accuser and the judge to place on notice the affected party leaders, an ask for their reactions before wielding its big hammer. This is indeed maladministration which cannot be justified and we have gone to court to contest that reckless act of illegality. Even a Grade Level 01 officer in the Public Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be summarily suspended without notification and explanations.

“Let me once again, for the sake of posterity, assert that the Constitution of the PDP prescribes the mode of managing the party. I believe that the major causes of internal conflicts in the PDP are mutual suspicion and inability to pursue the path of moral rectitude. The PDP constitution gives two-thirds of members (8 out of 12) the authority to take valid decisions that would be binding on NWC as constituted. Yet, the PDP NWC has been able to call only two meetings of the NEC, Board of Trustees and National Caucus in its 20 months of existence, when the PDP constitution prescribes a quarterly meeting. It is patently clear that our colleagues on the NWC have refused to protect the constitution of the PDP which they swore to uphold, by acting in accordance with their individual conscience, for various reasons best known to them; and for which they will soon be held accountable whenever the disciplinary committee is legally and validly inaugurated.

“The PDP Constitution allows for ‘checks and balances’ as control mechanism. I humbly submit that we must watch our actions and avoid taking steps that cannot be based on the principles of transparency, accountability and steering the ship of our great Party by responsible leadership. If the truth must be told, the NWC has lost great credibility on account of its trampling on regulations and lack of respect for truth, law and order. Let the leaders come down from their high pedestals and feel the pulse of majority of our sympathizers and see the need to change the mood of the people from pessimism to optimism; through a Party system that promotes viable political visions, and through decent political behaviour; not based on the ridiculous explanations Metuh offered.

“More importantly, I ask that those leading the NWC should just close their eyes for only two days as if they were dead. It is only when they wake up again that the reality of the existing situation and the reaction of their supposed supporters, would truly dawn on them. It shall surely be well.”

•Photo shows Oyinlola.

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