Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Otunba Jimi Lawal says he will appeal the judgement nullifying the recent rerun governorship primary election of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), which returned him as the party’s 2023 governorship candidate.
He declared that this resort to judicial ambush will not save anybody on the other camp.
Describing the judgement and the preceding court proceedings as “purported,” Otunba Lawal said he was neither served any court processes nor was he also part of the proceedings, dismissing the development as the “handiwork of the desperadoes within the Ogun state PDP.”
He reacted through Austin Oniyokor, the
Project Director, Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO).
He stated, “The attention of the Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO) has been drawn to a purported court proceedings and judgment which reportedly nullified the rerun governorship primary election held on the 17th of October, 2022.
“We wish to state that it is the handiwork of the desperadoes within the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who see the party as their birthright and an extension of their patrimony.
“It is very amusing that the same people who said the rerun was of no moment and willfully refused to participate in the exercise could go to court to challenge same. Pray, where did they get their locus standi (i.e. legal standing) to sue since they did not participate in the rerun election?
“Again, we make haste to add that we were neither served any court processes nor were we part of the proceedings. In matter of this nature, personal service is a basic requirement and condition precedent to hearing a suit and delivering judgment.
“While our lawyers make efforts to get the purported judgment and study case file with a view to taking appropriate steps under the law, we wish to assure all our supporters, stakeholders and party members that this resort to judicial ambush will not save our friends on the other side.
“It is only a matter of time before the truth triumphs over lies even as light dispels darkness. Let us remain hopeful, strong and focused!”
Meanwhile, the party’s governorship hopeful, Otunba Jimi Lawal, has berated Hon. Ladi Adebutu and his camp for engaging in attitude of scattering members of the party with suspension and expulsion when they should be gathering everybody together under one roof in order to win 2023 governorship election in the state.
The Daily Crucible reports that Ogun PDP had at the end of its State Working Committee (SWC) meeting on October 17, 2022 which was chaired by the Acting State Chairman, Chief Taiwo Akinlabi, suspended the quartet of Jimi Lawal, the state financial Secretary, Bola Odunmosu, Ijebu North Local Government chairman of the PDP, Tope Ashiru, Kola Akinyemi and Bashiru Ajadi over allegedly conducting illegal governorship primary where Lawal emerged governorship candidate of the party.
Otunba Lawal who was apparently referring to the said suspension, also revealed that his mission in party is not to collect the governorship ticket from Adebutu but to fly its flag, win the governorship election against incumbent governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and return the PDP to power in the state next year.
He spoke recently while addressing a large gathering of delegates of PDP primaries, party members and supporters at Itoko area of Abeokuta, the state capital, where he also promised to make education free and compulsory from primary to senior secondary school class 111 if elected governor in 2023.
He equally assured that his government if emplaced would bear the cost of students’ registration for external examinations such as JAMB, WAEC and NECO even as he used the avenue to empower 10 of the delegates with 10 tricycles.
Lawal said he would replicate the distribution of 10 tricycles in the state’s nine federal constituencies, advising the beneficiaries to use them judiciously
