Osun 2022: PDP crisis deepens as court okays Adagunodo’s ward excos for Tuesday primary

An Osun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-jesa on Thursday recognised officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elected in 215 wards under the immediate past state chairman of the party as those eligible to participate in next week’s governorship primary of the party. The primary is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.

Justice A. Aderibigbe gave the order while ruling on an exparte application brought by 31 ward chairmen from 25 local government areas “elected at the 25 September, 2021 ward congress supervised by Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo.” Defendants in the suit are the Peoples Democraic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The enrollment of order, a copy of which was obtained by Saturday Tribune, reads: “Upon hearing the motion exparte, an affidavit of Mr Adedokun Ademola, male, Nigerian, Christian, adult, Ward 1, Egbedore Local Government Area, Osun State, sworn and filed at High Court registry, IjebuJesa, Osun State, on the 3rd day of March 2022, and after hearing Mr Edmund Z. Biriomoni for the applicant who moved his application, the court then ordered as follows:

“An order of mandatory interim injunction of this court is granting, recognising the ward executive officers elected on the 25th of September, 2021 in the following wards listed as (a) – (y) on this application as the only authentic and/ or authorised elected ward executive officers permitted to vote delegates at the party’s governorship primary scheduled to take place on the 8th of March, 2022, the state congress, state assembly primary, National Assembly primary and presidential primary respectively in full compliance with the judgment of the court delivered on the 22nd of November, 2021 affirming all actions taken by Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State chapter which include the conduct of the ward executive congress on the 25th of September, 2021, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“The plaintiffs/applicants are ordered to effect the service of the motion on notice for mandatory interlocutory injunction on the defendants/respondents before the return date. “The return date shall be Thursday, 10/03/2022,” the court ordered.

(Nigerian Tribune)