Ogun primary rerun: Lawal confronts Ayu about PDP’s letter to INEC

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

Mr. Austin Oniyokor, Project Director, Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organisation, has condemned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for writing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disassociate the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) from the October 17, 2022, primary rerun election conducted by some individuals in the party’s Ogun State chapter

According to Oniyokor, instead of being a father figure who would seek a solution, Ayu has been a part of the problem from the start by conspiring with the Ladi Adebutu faction to impose unelected delegates on the party.

“Based on several infractions and existing judgments of several courts of competent jurisdiction in respect of Ogun State PDP, the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta nullified the earlier primaries held by the party and restrained INEC from publishing the names of all those previously nominated as candidates of the party,” he stated.

“The court then ordered the PDP’s State Executive Committee to hold new primaries.” That is what the State Executive Committee did. Members of the State Executive Committee did so by writing letters to INEC inviting it to monitor the primaries.

“If Ayu has a problem with individuals or institutions following valid court orders, he should exercise his right to appeal and await the decision of the appellate courts.” It is not his place to decide which orders or judgments should be obeyed, or who should obey or refuse to obey valid court orders and judgments. He cannot telepathically persuade INEC to join him in his lawlessness.”

The PDP’s NEC described the alleged rerun election that produced Jimi Lawal as the party’s governorship candidate in a letter to INEC as a gross violation of Section 50 of the PDP’s Constitution, which empowers the National Working Committee (NWC) on behalf of the NEC to formulate guidelines and regulations for the nomination of candidates into all elective offices at all levels.

The party stated unequivocally that the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta’s decision that the state executive body of the Ogun PDP should conduct rerun primaries following the court’s nullification of previous primaries violated the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP’s constitution.

The party also stated that the time limit set by the Federal High Court in Abeokuta for new primaries expired on Tuesday, October 10, 2022, saying, “The judgement, which the NEC found dissatisfactory has been appealed in case file CA/IB/409/2022.”

Ayu and Anyanwu, on behalf of the party’s NEC, requested that INEC disregard any letter or correspondence written by any member of the State Executive of the party’s Ogun State chapter, and that the commission be cautious in future dealings with these individuals.

The party also urged INEC to follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which state that all correspondence between the party and political parties must be signed by the national chairman and national secretary of the party, not the state executive.