by Isi Esene

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday sacked the secretary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The former Osun state governor was dragged before the Federal High Court by a faction of the party’s Ogun state chapter, led by a businessman, Buruji Kashamu.

The chairman and secretary of the Ogun state chapter of the party, Adebayo Dayo and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo,contested the retention of Oyinlola as secretary of the party after a Federal High Court in Lagos had cancelled the zonal congress which produced him.

The court, presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati, agreed with the plaintiffs, represented by Amaechi Nwaiwu, admitting that the former governor is not fit to hold the office of PDP party secretary after the process which produced him has been declared defective.

In his defence, the former governor had argued that the matter was an internal affair of the PDP, and that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it, adding that it was an abuse of court process.

But, in his judgment, Kafarati disagreed with Oyinlola, ruling both issues in favour of the plaintiffs.

“The plaintiffs’ suit was not an abuse of court process, therefore objection on that point is overruled. On the whole the preliminary objection of the third defendant (Oyinlola) lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.

“The plaintiff’s suit is not based on an intra-party dispute; rather it seeks to enforce the decision of the Lagos Federal High Court. It is therefore my opinion that they (plaintiffs) have the locus standi to institute this action.

“I hold that the court has the jurisdiction to determine the plaintiffs’ suit.

“The third defendant is not fit to continue in office as the National Secretary of the second defendant (PDP).

“All of the questions raised by the plaintiffs are determined in their favour,” the judge said.

However, Oyinlola, who was present in the courtroom, informed journalists after the court session that he would appeal the FHC judgment.

“I want to make it clear that we are appealing the judgment,” he reportedly said.

Oyinlola is believed to have been foisted on the South West PDP by former president Olusegun Obasanjo whose supporters are currently at loggerheads with that of Buruji Kashamu over who should be in control of the Ogun state chapter of the PDP.

On the letter purportedly written by Oyinlola in a bid to overrule the order of the Lagos Federal High Court which nullified the zonal congress of the PDP, the plaintiffs asked the court to commit Oyinlola to prison for contempt of court “for such period it may see fit” for writing the letters, in which he (Oyinlola) also threatened them (plaintiffs) for bringing the suit before the court.

The letters were dated June 3, 12, and 25, 2012 respectively.

In the judgment, the court held that the letters constituted “willful interference with the administration of justice and subversion of the judicial process.”

These are certainly not the best of times for the PDP which prides itself as the biggest political party in Africa.