The crisis affecting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State took a new turn on Tuesday when the party’s national working committee dismissed Otunba Jimi Lawal, a candidate for governor, for serious misconduct, falsification, anti-party actions, and disobedience to the party’s charter.
Along with Jimi Lawal, Muyiwa Odebiyi, Moruf Olajide, and Ademola Ojoye were also expelled.
Jimi Lawal, a former adviser to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, entered the race for governor of Ogun in April 2022. His expulsion came as a result of recommendations made by the disciplinary committee established by the NEC and NWC and chaired by Barrister Tola Odulaja.
The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Barrister Tola Odulaja, said their expulsion was in conformity with the party’s constitution while speaking to press at the PDP Secretariat in Abeokuta.
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According to Odulaja, the committee appointed by the party’s national working committee in February 2022 recommended their expulsion as a result of Jimi Lawal’s disobedience by holding a “illegal” rerun governorship primary in the state.
In response to the announcement of the expulsion, Otunba Jimi Lawal said it was “a joke carried too far.
Lawal said in a statement issued by the Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO) and signed by Austin Oniyokor, Project Director, that the reported suspension and illegal expulsion were “comical acts carried too far.”
“Our attention has been called to the claimed expulsion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal, and other chieftains of the party by some dissidents,” the statement stated.
“This is a joke taken too far. Indeed, it is illegality upon illegality, all amounting to illegalities. How can these people take such a step when the initial illegal act is already a subject of litigation at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta; and the parties, including the active participants had been served the court summons. As a matter of fact, the matter came up yesterday, Monday, 31st October, 2022 at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta. Definite hearing has been fixed for 30th November, 2022”.
“Clearly, the purported suspension and illegal expulsion are comical acts taken too far. These steps cannot stand the test of time and the law. These acts are contemptuous of the court which will be set aside sooner than later as in the case of Amaechi v. INEC & Ors. (No. 1) (2007) 18 NWLR (Pt. 1065) 42”.
“We implore all our long-standing delegates, leaders, elders and stakeholders of the party to remain calm. All these shenanigans are no more than a storm in a teacup. It is will soon fizzle out”.
