PDP Scribe: PDP Seals Oyinlola’s Fate, Directs His Deputy To Take Over

Barring any last minute manoeuvring, the fate of the sacked National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olagunsoye Oyinlola, seems sealed as the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Turkur has directed the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, Barr. Solomon Onwe to assume Oyinlola’s position.

Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun State, was ordered to vacate the office of National Secretary of the party by a court last Friday.

The court sacked Oyinlola and asked that he be put in prison for criminal disobedience of court order, following a suit against him by the party chieftains  in Osun State.

The state chapter of the PDP led by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo, had in their suit, alleged that Oyinola emerged as the national scribe of the party through a kangaroo process they said was perfected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former National Vice Chairman, PDP South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.

They argued that in view of two separate judgments of a Federal High Court in Lagos that nullified the South West Zonal congress which produced Oyinlola as candidate, his continued stay in office was illegal, null and void since his candidacy had earlier been voided.

The court ruling is widely speculated to have been connected to the raging power tussle within the party, involving the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and governors on one side and Dr. Tukur, who is said to enjoy the backing of the President Jonathan on the other.

Oyinlola, was alleged to have led a move which recinded a decision of the NWC on the dissolution of the Adamawa party executive which was loyal to the Governor, Murtala Nyako.

However, according to Dr Tukur in a release on Monday, his directive which is backed by the powers conferred on him by the party’s constitution takes immediate effect.

Tukur in the terse release said “Pursuant to the powers conferred on the National Chairman by Chapter V Section 35 (1), 35 (1)(b) as well as section 36(2) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, (as amended), the  Deputy National  Secretary of the PDP, Barr. Solomon Onwe is hereby directed to assume duties as the Acting National Secretary of the PDP.

“Barr. Onwe shall by this directive conduct all correspondences of the party, issue notices of meetings of the National Convention, the National Executive Committee, the National Caucus and the National Working Committee as stipulated in the Constitution of our great Party.

“This directive takes immediate effect and is hereby communicated to all the levels and offices of the Party.”

There were reports that the party was going to appeal the court ruling, but with the current directive appears to have nailed any chance of an appeal by the party.