Mimiko Hijacks PDP, as Court sacks Ondo state, council executives

THE machination of Governor Olusegun Mimiko towards hijacking the structure of the Ondo state chapter of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) came to fruition yesterday as State High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, sacked the state and local government executives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for disobeying a court order. 

The court’s injunction followed a suit filed by some aggrieved members of the party, Adetokunbo Michael and Akinyemi Rufus as well as Mrs. Alake Abigael and Fanike Olwasina.

They approached the court for a relief, claiming that they were not satisfied with the conduct of the local and state congresses of the party.

Justice C.E.T, Ajama ordered party members elected through the congresses to stop parading themselves as executives until the determination of the substantive suit on November 5.

But the sacked PDP state chairman, Ebenezer Alabi, described the judgment as a denial of justice.

He said it was sponsored by some opposition leaders to cause a setback to the party.

Alabi told reporters in Akure that he would appeal the ruling.

According to him, the court processes were not served on the defendants as required by law. 

He said: “On March 9, a day preceding the state congress of the party, the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Hon. Justice Sehinde Kumuyi, gave an order restraining members of the then Transition Committee administering the party from superintending over the congress.

“As at the time he gave the order at 4pm on the day, members of the Transition Committee, who desired to contest in the congress, had resigned from the office and as such the order was technically a nullity. 

“We then petitioned the Chief Justice of the Federation, who also doubles as the Chairman of the National Judicial Commission (NJC), detailing all the perceived irregularities and misconduct that were believed Hon. Justice Sehinde Kumuyi had been perpetrating in the state Judiciary.”

He said the NJC queried Kumuyi and the case transferred to Justice Ajama. 

Additional reports culled from The Nation.