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Doherty still remains our State Chairman –PDP Elders’ Forum

Doherty still remains our State Chairman –PDP Elders’ Forum

By Adeyemi Adeleye

The Concerned Lagos State Elders Forum of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday said that Engr. Deji Doherty remained the State Chairman of the party in spite of the Court Judgement that sacked him.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday Justice Oyekan Abdullahi of the Lagos High Court removed Dr Doherty as the Chairman of the Lagos PDP and reinstated former Chairman, Dr Dominic Adegbola.

The group, in its earlier reaction to the judgement through its Chairman, Dr Bimbo Ogunkelu, said that the party would appeal the court judgment, saying that the party would get a stay of execution and challenge the lower court’s judgment at the Appeal Court.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Saturday by the group in Lagos, the concerned elders said that the synopsis of the judgement were absurd and misleading in all ramifications.

They said that it was very strange for Justice Abdulahi in her judgement to have stated that the INEC was not involved in the conduct of the elections that brought in Doherty as State Chairman.

The group said that INEC who was a party to the case also witnessed and signed result sheets on the day of the election, ‘the records are there for anyone who cares’.pl

“It is also a known fact, that a committee headed by Ben Obi was constituted in line with dictates of the amended 2017 constitution of the party.

“It is also noteworthy to state that the amended 2017 constitution and not the 2007 constitution was religiously adhered to in putting in place a “SPECIAL CONGRESS” to fill not only the vacant position of the state Chairman but other vacant positions at that time.

“These included the positions of Vice-Chairman(Central), State Organising Secretary, State Legal Adviser, Asst Publicity Secretary and State Ex-Officio members from various LGAs.

“All these vacant positions were vied for and elections were carried out and due certifications as to winners and losers were effected,” the elders said.

They added that, preceding the elections, a Leaders and Stakeholders’ meeting was held at Raddison Blu Hotel.

According to them, in attendance were party stakeholders, including Agboola, Dr Akintoye, Her Excellency, Mrs Kofo Bucknor, Dr Ogunkelu, Mrs Aduke Maina, former Senatorial candidates and sitting members of the House of Representatives.

They said others include former House of Representatives members, former governorship candidates, former state chairmen and all LGA chairmen among others.

The group said that most of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit” were present at the said meeting except Chief Olabode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the party.

The elders said that it was collectively agreed at the meeting, that a Special Congress should be called to elect a new state Chairman and that the imposition meeting that nominated Dominic at that time should not be ratified by the NWC.

The group added: “This was the resolution of all who attended except Chief Bode George who definitely boycotted the important meeting.

“It was this agreement/ resolution at the said meeting, that set the Ben Obi led committee in motion.

“Amidst all mud-slinging, Engr Doherty was duly voted in as the State Chairman by votes of delegates at the special Congress which was passed by the NWC and backed by the provisions of the party Constitution which supports “Replacement of Officers.”

According to them, Agboola was at no point constitutionally elected into to the position he was pushed to claim but imposed on the party.

They frowned at every act of imposition and maligning of the party’s constitution particularly at times when the party intends to have congresses or elections, to pick managers or candidates of the party in the state.

The group said that the latest development and antics had given credence to why the party had failed to take its desired place in Lagos State politics.

They described Doherty as an able, independent and hard-working chairman, who had tried in all capacities to put the party on the right strides in the political arena in Lagos State.

The elders, who noted that PDP had been relatively peaceful till date, listed some of the achievements of Doherty to include successfully conducted the most peaceful primaries for the vacant seat in the Lagos East Senatorial District.

They said such achievements include ameliorating the plights of some members and party sympathisers, who were visibly sidelined by the Lagos State Government during the distribution of palliatives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The group said that Doherty single-handedly distributed well over 10,000 packs of food items during the pandemic and successfully organised a remembrance for party heros who had passed away.

“He created state standing committees headed by well-meaning leaders of the party and created different structures for non-indigenes with a view to bringing them closer to the management of the party.

“He created a women empowerment and emancipation platform, with one of its targets as the support of women towards the forthcoming LGA Elections.
“It should be noted that in the history of the party in the state, there are about 30% women inclusion in the list of candidates for the Elections.
“He for the first time put in place a proper arrangements for a peaceful LGA primaries with the Option A4 in all the 20LGA’s and 37LCDA’s across the state,” they said.

“We wish to point out that the supposed judgement is not against Engr Doherty but against the party, since Engr Doherty is not a party to the suit.

“However , a court judgement at a lower court can always be appealed up to the Supreme Court if those affected feel they are not satisfied with the judgement presented at the lower court.

“We also state that the certified true copy of the judgement is yet to be received by anyone and as such it would be prejudicial for anyone to take any form of actions or speculations on the matter,” the group said.

According to them, the party is supreme and is the final arbiter on issues such as that, and that it is the National body managed by the NWC that can execute any judgement even if there is any possibility of tilt in favour of the plaintiffs.

They said that the case was not an electoral case but a civil case, hence there is a provision of a 90-day window for necessary appeal procedures to be put in place by the concerned party while the applicant through the sheriff of the court also can’t execute the instructions of the said judgement.

“The plaintiffs or even the court sheriffs cannot execute the purported judgement.

“Dr Agboola Dominic should note that it is not in his capacity as one of the plaintiffs to execute a judgement of the court, as all necessary security agencies have been put on high alert.

“He is advised, to continue to “toe the line” of legal actions rather than taking the law into his hands, to avoid any unforseen circumstances.

The elders forum hereby request that, an emergency National Working Committee meeting should be called to urgently take far reaching disciplinary measures as it concerns the issue in Lagos State PDP as enshrined in the constitution of the party.

“This we believe would go a long way in sending right signals and restoring confidence in the minds of party faithfuls in the state or else the party in our state might suddenly collapse , and we don’t want this wish of these haters of progress to prevail.

The group called on all members to be steadfast, and remain loyal to the party and not to individuals.

They appealed to them not to be afraid, perturbed, tired and should not loss hope in the party.

The elders appreciated the Dr Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation Committee for their efforts so far and the past Southwest Zonal Chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso and his Zonal Exco who worked tirelessly to put the party in Lagos on a peaceful footing .

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