The Ogun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has suspended a Governorship aspirant of the party, Jimi Lawal for allegedly conducting and participating in an “illegal” primary election.
Lawal was suspended along side four others which includes the Financial Secretary of the party.
The PDP Secretary in Ogun State, Sunday Solarin announced this during a press briefing at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, the State capital.
According to Solarin, Lawal and the others were suspended for violating the constitution of the party by conducting an “illegal” primary election which was not authorised by the National Working Committee of the party.
Solarin explained that Lawal and the others have been suspended for one month pending the outcome of a disciplinary committee which would be setup to review their action.
A Federal High court sitting in Abeokuta had nullified the primary election of the party which produced Ladi Adebutu in the state.
The presiding judge, Justice O.O Oguntoyinbo in her judgement ordered the party to conduct fresh primaries within the next 14 days.
The court also barred the Nigeria’s Electoral body, INEC from recognising Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.
The National Working Committee has however vowed to appeal the judgment.
Following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, the faction of Jimi Lawal staged a factional governorship primary election at an undisclosed location in Abeokuta, the State capital on Monday.
This however prompt the leadership of the party in the state condemned the action of Lawal and members of his faction, insisting that “PDP would not condole any action directed at putting the party into disrepute.”
Solarin said; “All of these shenanigans will be put to bed and we have resolved that the principals actors of the illegal primary election will be exposed. They have been found to have transgressed the laws of the party and their punishment will be given.
“We were informed that an Illegal congress was going to happen today and that history has it as of this afternoon that’s some people gathered somewhere to carry out an action that are not constitutionally or statutorily assigned to them.
“We have also resolved that Jimi Lawal is also going to be on suspension with immediate effect because he participated actively in a congress not conducted by the State Executives of the party, an action which has been found to bring the party into disrepute.”
“We must also emphasis the fact that in a house where discipline is missing definitely such house will not raise good children and they are not going to raise good ambassador for that family,” he added.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
