PDP asks court to jail factional leaders Baraje, Oyinlola

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday began contempt proceedings against Kawu Baraje, a former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and a former National Working Committee member, Sam Jaja for claiming to be leaders of the party.

The proceedings initiated by the Osun State chapter of the PDP led by its Chairman, Adebayo Dayo and Secretary, Semiu Sodipo at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division is seeking to commit Oyinlola and others to prison for allegedly flouting a subsisting judgment of the court, sacking the former governor as PDP’s national secretary.

The applicants argued that Oyinlola’s continued claim to being national secretary of the PDP (including the purported new PDP) and his authorship of letters and notices in that capacity was tantamount to deliberately breaching of court’s orders in its judgments of April 27, 2012 and January 11 this year.

They accused Baraje and Jaja of conspiring and aiding Oyinlola to flout the court’s orders voiding his claim to the National Secretary’s seat of the party.

The applicants are praying the court to commit Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja to prison for one year or any period the court prefers as punishment for their action.

The Osun State PDP has also applied to the court for, among others, an order compelling the party’s national body and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Prof. Adewale Oladipo as its replacement for Oyinlola as the PDP national secretary.

It also prays the court to accept the outcome of the extra-ordinary Southwest zonal congress held in Ibadan, Oyo State on March 13 this year, where Oladipo was elected to replace Oyinlola.

Named as defendants in this application are Oyinlola, PDP and INEC.