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.
The NWC and NEC setup disciplinary committee, led by Barrister Tola Odulaja, that Jimi Lawal be expelled.
Along with Jimi Lawal, Muyiwa Odebiyi, Moruf Olajide, and Ademola Ojoye were also expelled.
In April 2022, Jimi Lawal, a former adviser to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, entered the PDP campaign for governor of Ogun.
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.
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 joke has been stretched too far. Indeed, there is illegality after illegality after illegality. How are these persons able to act in such a way when the Federal High Court in Abeokuta is already hearing a case involving the original illegal act and summonses have been sent to all parties, including the active participants? In actuality, the issue was raised yesterday, Monday, October 31, 2022, at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta. The final hearing has been scheduled for November 30, 2022.
“It is obvious that the alleged suspension and illegal expulsion are ridiculous actions that went too far. These actions won’t withstand time or the law. These actions are in contempt of court and will be overturned as in Amaechi v. INEC & Ors. (No. 1) (2007) 18 NWLR (Pt. 1065) 42 as soon as possible.
“We beg all of our steadfast delegates, leaders, elders, and party stakeholders to maintain their composure. All of these mischief-making is merely a tempest in a teacup. It is going to fizzle out soon.
