Friday, November 15, 2013

PDP Crisis: Tukur, others have disdain for Judiciary – Oyinlola

-FORMER Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who was
last Wednesday reinstated as National Secretary of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP by an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja said
yesterday took a swipe at the national leadership of the party, saying
that it shows total disdain for the judiciary with its actions.
Reacting to Thursday press briefing by PDP national Publicity
Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, Oyinlola who noted that the PDP
spokesperson failed to provide answers to very pertinent questions
relating to disregard for judiciary, due process and violation of the
principle of fair hearing.
In a statement signed by Oyinlola's Principal Secretary, Femi Adelegan
and made available to Journalists, Oyinlola who titled it "let them
use power, we shall use courage," said, "the Office of the National
Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party has described the reaction
of the National Working Committee of the PDP, to Oyinlola's press
briefing as excessively long on posturing, but short on reasonable
arguments, as it has failed woefully to answer very pertinent
questions and issues pertaining to disrespect for the judiciary, due
Process and violation of the principle of fair hearing.
"This reaction, which is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on
Friday said the explanations offered so far by PDP's National
Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh did further damage to the cause
of the PDP as it only confirmed the national working committee's
disdain for the Judiciary, the rule of law and statutory regulations,
by taking reprehensible steps to circumvent court orders, the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and that
of the PDP, which both guarantee the right to fair hearing.
"The statement captioned: ''LET THEM USE POWER; WE SHALL USE
COURAGE'', disclosed that following developments which seem to
indicate an indecent political behaviour and a lack of accountability
and integrity, the PDP national secretary has formally reported the
matter to the national leader of the party, President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Oyinlola took this step in consideration of the widely held notion
that theperceived long chain of any organisation is its leadership,
which is always credited with the gains or shortcomings of the
organisation. It went further to assert that the statements that
emanated from Thursday's PDP press conference, could only suggest that
regrettably, some people thrive on the basest and lowest forms of
sentiments, giving cause for concern about their true commitment to
democracy''.
"I simply refuse to believe that those perpetrating the horrors of
numerous atrocities designed to nail Oyinlola at all costs, are not
aware of the implication of denigrating the Judiciary and the rule of
law; and that my fiercest critics and opponents today are those who
are unhappy at my preference for Due Process in administering the
affairs of the PDP national headquarters''.
"Most of them are people who were denied attempts to secure undue and
illegal political advantage and patronage that would have amounted to
the circumvention of regulations''. It is true that I chose not to
compromise on illegalities and destructive tendencies exhibited by
these people''.
That was the advent of the culture of impunity, tyranny, oppression,
dictatorship and refusal to abide by the resolutions of majority of
PDP NWC members, who were all elected by the party's national
convention''.
"Yet, these same culprits of confusion preach internal party
democracy! This evidently explains why my friend, Metuh, had no
convincing answer for the media, that requested to know why the G-7
governors were not also summarily suspended; but opted to consult with
his national chairman on a matter that ought to have been discussed,
applying the principle of collective responsibility''.
One notes with consternation and disbelief the recent developments in
the PDP NWC, which disallow the Deputy National Chairman from acting
on issues and matters in the absence of the national chairman''. This
is obviously an embarrassing statement which portrays the NWC as a
one-man affair.
''For the records, I wish to state in clear and unequivocal terms that
I never supported the suspension of the National Vice-Chairman of the
PDP for the North-west zone, Senator Girgiri Lawan, a rather
forthright personality, as a member of the NWC.
The minutes of the meeting at which the decision was taken would
reveal that Senator Girgiri Lawan was accused and judged by Alhaji
Tukur, whose actions at that particular NWC meeting are recorded. It
is also on record that the letter conveying Senator Lawan's suspension
was not signed by me in my capacity as the national secretary with the
statutory responsibility but was drafted, approved and signed within
the office of the national chairman.
''My colleagues on the NWC will attest to the fact that on some
occasions when illegalities were perpetrated and forced down the
throats of NWC members by a personality, who is supposed to be
''primus inter-pares'', I protested vehemently; and to show my
displeasure, never waited for the usual entertainments at the end of
the meetings. Metuh would surely attest to these facts''.
"It is also funny that the PDP spokesman could state that the absence
of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from Nigeria last Thursday prevented the NWC
from taking an immediate action on the Court of Appeal order for my
reinstatement, even when the PDP Deputy National Chairman is empowered
to act in the absence of the national chairman''. Where true internal
party democracy is operated; not in a setting of an ''Executive
Chairman'' who is under a false illusion that he has the power to
''hire and fire'', the principle of collective responsibility demands
and commands that individual official opinions be respected in taking
NWC decisions''.
That was what we did on the Adamawa state PDP crises, and Alhaji
Tukur, in one of those unfortunate outbursts described fellow NWC
members as ''traitors''; simply because they acted in consonance with
the PDP constitution! I must say with deep respect that I have never
seen the national leader of the PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan, in
spite of his enormous powers, or Mr. Vice President, behave this way,
or make such offensive utterances at any of the meetings of the organs
of the PDP''. It is important to highlight the fact that leadership is
indeed an endowment, and part of the responsibilities of a true leader
is the ability to manage people and crises without losing his or her
head''.
"Let it be known that when the PDP Disciplinary Committee is legally
and validly constituted at the national level, those of us who are
aggrieved may also press charges against those whom we believe have
breached the party's constitution and engaged in serial violation of
rules and regulations guiding the operations of the PDP.
These are people, who have also engaged in conducts that have
apparently caused confusion and disharmony, encouraged divisions,
refuse to consider appeals timeously, made utterances that have put
the PDP into disrepute, have clearly breached the PDP constitution and
refused blatantly to summon meetings of the National Executive
Committee of the party, as well as meetings of its other organs as
prescribed by PDP regulations''.
"I sincerely hope that members of the NWC would stop being accomplices
and accessories to constitutional violations because there is an
in-built mechanism which allows two-thirds of NWC members to reason
logically and prevent descent into anarchy, as elected members of the
NWC, who swore to protect and uphold the PDP constitution.
''If they fail in their duties, they cannot reasonably present an
alibi of ignorance of this constitutional provision of the in-built
checks and balances. Failure to act suggests compromising on
illegalities, and undermining the constitution of the PDP, which
itself is an enough reason to also press for disciplinary actions
against them, having failed woefully by supporting absurd
transgressions''.
" I find it inexplicable that PDP NWC could claim that it is unaware
of the Appeal Court order when its counsel was in court when the
judgement was delivered. More importantly, the court order was
transmitted electronically to the National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor
Kwon and Chief Olisa Metuh. We have proof of service and will prove
this.
The question to ask is ''If PDP is unaware, how did it rush its appeal
to the Supreme Court? That is the same manner in which Justice
Abdul-Kafarati claimed that he was not aware that records of
proceedings of his court had been transferred to the Court of Appeal,
when he wanted to pronounce Prof. Wale Oladipo as the national
secretary, when the proceedings were actually forwarded from his
court. Thank God that pronouncement, following its abrogation, has
been made in vain. "

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