..Affirms Agboola As Substantive Chairman
By Gbenga Sodeinde
A High Court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State has affirmed the nomination of Engr Alaba Agboola as the substantive Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
The court, which also nullified the dissolution of the State Exco of the party by the Senator Iyorchia Ayu led PDP National Working Committee, said the dissolution was illegal and against the party’s constitution.
Justice Dele Omotoso, gave the judgement today, in Suit Number HAD/100/2022, filed by Lanre Omolase and Alaba Agboola against PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s National Organizing Secretary, Umar Bature, Deji Ogunsakin and Abeni Olayinka.
Engr Agboola, from Ipoti Ekiti, Ijero Local Government was appointed to replace the PDP governorship candidate in the last election, Hon Bisi Kolawole, who resigned as the State Chairman to contest the governorship.
The State Deputy Chairman, Hon Lanre Omolase, who was acting as Chairman had said then that; “At the Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, which held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of the Chairman (Acting) – Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022, the quorum at attendance being over and above one-third of the total membership of the Exco, deliberated on the need to appoint a substantive Chairman for our Party, in accordance with the Party’s Constitution.
“Article 47(6) of the Constitution of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party, provides that: ‘Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”
However, a faction of the party had nominated Deji Ogunsakin as the State Chairman, prompting a legal tussle that was determined today.
The court, while affirming Agboola as the duly nominated chairman, ordered that Ogunsakin should never parade himself as Chairman.