The crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday took a new twist as the National Working Committee of the party on Tuesday expelled a governorship aspirant of the party, Otunba Jimi Lawal for gross misconduct, forgery, anti-party activities and disobedience to party’s constitution.
Jimi Lawal’s expulsion followed recommendations by the NWC and NEC set-up disciplinary committee, headed by Barrister Tola Odulaja
Others expelled alongside Jimi Lawal are: Muyiwa Odebiyi, Moruf Olajide and Ademola Ojoye.
Jimi Lawal, a former aide to Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai joined the Ogun PDP governorship race in April, 2022.
Addressing journalists at the PDP Secretariat in Abeokuta, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Barrister Tola Odulaja said their expulsion was in accordance with the party’s constitutional provision.
Odulaja explained that, the committee set up in February, 2022 by the National Working Committee of the party recommended their expulsion following Jimi Lawal’s disobedience to the party by organizing ‘illegal’ rerun governorship primary in the state.
Meanwhile, Otunba Jimi Lawal, while reacting to the news of expulsion, described it as ” a joke taken too far.
Lawal, in a statement signed by Austin Oniyokor, Project Director, Jimi Adebisi Lawal Campaign Organization (JALCO), said the expulsion “the purported suspension and illegal expulsion are comical acts taken too far”.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to the purported expulsion of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal and other chieftains of the party by some dissidents”.
“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”.
