As the crisis rocking the Osun state chapter of the Social Democratic Party SDP) deepens, the embattled State Chairman, Chief Ademola Ishola has faulted his purported suspension and described it as mere manipulation.
Ishola in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Osogbo Monday claimed that the national secretariat of the part does not posses the constitutional power to suspend a dully elected officer in the state adding that he has not received any document from anywhere to back up his suspension.
He therefore described his purported suspension and that of the party secretary in the state, Elder Femi Awe as a joke and an insincere manipulation by desperate politicians, saying the procedures for removing top officers of the party were clearly stated in the SDP constitution.
On the ongoing congresses of the party, Ishola affirmed that any congress anyone has held in the name of SDP in Osun State was illegal and an affront to the court, while hoping that the judiciary will firmly hold on to the rule of law.
Recalled that at a press briefing before the commencement of the Congresses on Saturday, the SDP electoral panel Chairman Hon. Mba Ajah, had said that the party was not aware of any court injunction restraining it from conducting the congresses until the determination of any case.
The former member, House of Representatives who led four others that included Mr Rufus Aiyenigba, Secretary, Alhaji Affa Mohammed, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of SDP, Hon. Sahara Abubakar, chairman Plateau state SDP and Haha Saadatu Abdullahi from Adamawa state said none of the leadership of the party was aware nor served with any court order to that effect.
But Ishola claimed that the high court judge sitting in Ikirun granted the Interim order and the order was served on INEC, Chief Iyiola Omisore, Mr. Taiwo Akeju and SDP National Secretary, Mr. Emeka Atuna.
“As I have said earlier, the above mentioned names were aware of the Court Order. Barrister Kehinde Adesiyan represented SDP in court on Friday, the 29thof June 2018 and he was provided with a copy of the Court Order. He argued against the application in open court, but his argument was thrown out court by the judge.
“Barrister Adeyemi Adetise represented Omisore in court. But his submission for dismissal of our application was also rejected by the Judge. He was also provided a copy of the Court Order on behalf of his clients.
“We like to state that the Commissioner of Police in the state be aware of the assault on our members perpetrated by Omisore group.
“Omisore is not a party member in our state and he should stop this intimidation and assault. We cannot be intimidated. We suffer a lot for this party and cannot surrender the party which we have built to some miscreants”, he stated.
ENDS
