Court Stops Lagos PDP Gov. Candidate
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Lagos State took another dimension this morning as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos,ordered that the party’s governorship candidate, Ade Dosunmu should not commence his electioneering campaign. It was billed to begin tomorrow.
The court ruled that for now, the PDP has no candidate until the matter has been resolved by the court.
Justice Binta Murtala Nyako issued the order this morning when the lawyer representing the plaintiff, Tunde Akinrimisi complained to the court that Dosunmu has concluded arrangement to flag off his campaign tomorrow for the 2 April 2011 governorship election.
When the matter was mentioned, Dosunmu’s lawyer, Dele Oguntade claimed that he had not received all the processes filed by the application while Akinrimisi said he had received two counter affidavits filed by the defendants. And they have responded by filing replies.
Consequently, Justice Nyako adjourned full hearing till Wednesday 23 February.
The court order came as Dr. Dosunmu and the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola were locked in a debate on the future of the state. The debate is being held under the auspices of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industries, at the chambers conference centre in Agidingbi, Ikeja.
The debate was still on at the time of this report, with Fashola speaking first.
Dosunmu, a former director general of the Maritime Authority, emerged the PDP candidate in a closely fought seven-man race. He polled 431 votes, representing 49 per cent of the total votes cast by the 872 delegates. He didn’t
savour his victory for long, as he was challenged in the law court.
The plaintiff, Prince Oluowo Adeyeri had filed the suit last month contending that Dosunmu was not qualified to contest the PDP primary of 10 January because he had not been a card carrying member of the party for two years, as prescribed by the PDP constitution.
Adeyeri who is a member of PDP and a delegate to the primary from Ikorodu also alleged in the suit that Dosunmu did not voluntarily retire from his former position as the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. But that he was forcefully removed for alleged financial impropriety, which disqualified him from contesting the party primary.
He sought a court declaration that the PDP governorship screening panel wrongly cleared Dosunmu to contest the PDP nomination primary of 10 January, 2011.
Adeyeri also prayed that a court should order that the emergence of Dosunmu through the said congress is null and void on account of his ineligibility. He also asked for an order restraining the PDP from presenting or submitting his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the party’s governorship flag bearer for Lagos State.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit are: the Lagos State PDP governorship screening committee, the state PDP chairman, and the INEC.
Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has outlined his achievements in the state in the past four years and the projects he will execute if elected in April for another term.
At the interactive debate between him and the governorship candidate of the PDP, Ade Dosunmu, Fashola said his government has integrated eight cities within the state for accelerated development in the next four years.
He listed the cities as Ikoyi, Lekki, Ikeja, Badagry, Mainland, Ikorodu, etc., adding that in the next 25 years the mega city of Lagos will be so structured that Lagosians will know where houses are located, water and other facilities are located.
He also said armed robbery and other violent crimes had reduced by about 80 per cent compared to the situation he met four years ago.
Fashola also said there had been massive development of infrastructure in the state with more investment pouring into the state in the last four years.
He was still speaking at the time of filing this report while the PDP governorship candidate, Dosunmu was yet to take his turn. Will his contribution be ultra-vires in view of the court order?
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Lagos State took another dimension this morning as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos,ordered that the party’s governorship candidate, Ade Dosunmu should not commence his electioneering campaign. It was billed to begin tomorrow.
The court ruled that for now, the PDP has no candidate until the matter has been resolved by the court.
Justice Binta Murtala Nyako issued the order this morning when the lawyer representing the plaintiff, Tunde Akinrimisi complained to the court that Dosunmu has concluded arrangement to flag off his campaign tomorrow for the 2 April 2011 governorship election.
When the matter was mentioned, Dosunmu’s lawyer, Dele Oguntade claimed that he had not received all the processes filed by the application while Akinrimisi said he had received two counter affidavits filed by the defendants. And they have responded by filing replies.
Consequently, Justice Nyako adjourned full hearing till Wednesday 23 February.
The court order came as Dr. Dosunmu and the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola were locked in a debate on the future of the state. The debate is being held under the auspices of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industries, at the chambers conference centre in Agidingbi, Ikeja.
The debate was still on at the time of this report, with Fashola speaking first.
Dosunmu, a former director general of the Maritime Authority, emerged the PDP candidate in a closely fought seven-man race. He polled 431 votes, representing 49 per cent of the total votes cast by the 872 delegates. He didn’t
savour his victory for long, as he was challenged in the law court.
The plaintiff, Prince Oluowo Adeyeri had filed the suit last month contending that Dosunmu was not qualified to contest the PDP primary of 10 January because he had not been a card carrying member of the party for two years, as prescribed by the PDP constitution.
Adeyeri who is a member of PDP and a delegate to the primary from Ikorodu also alleged in the suit that Dosunmu did not voluntarily retire from his former position as the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. But that he was forcefully removed for alleged financial impropriety, which disqualified him from contesting the party primary.
He sought a court declaration that the PDP governorship screening panel wrongly cleared Dosunmu to contest the PDP nomination primary of 10 January, 2011.
Adeyeri also prayed that a court should order that the emergence of Dosunmu through the said congress is null and void on account of his ineligibility. He also asked for an order restraining the PDP from presenting or submitting his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the party’s governorship flag bearer for Lagos State.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit are: the Lagos State PDP governorship screening committee, the state PDP chairman, and the INEC.
Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has outlined his achievements in the state in the past four years and the projects he will execute if elected in April for another term.
At the interactive debate between him and the governorship candidate of the PDP, Ade Dosunmu, Fashola said his government has integrated eight cities within the state for accelerated development in the next four years.
He listed the cities as Ikoyi, Lekki, Ikeja, Badagry, Mainland, Ikorodu, etc., adding that in the next 25 years the mega city of Lagos will be so structured that Lagosians will know where houses are located, water and other facilities are located.
He also said armed robbery and other violent crimes had reduced by about 80 per cent compared to the situation he met four years ago.
Fashola also said there had been massive development of infrastructure in the state with more investment pouring into the state in the last four years.
He was still speaking at the time of filing this report while the PDP governorship candidate, Dosunmu was yet to take his turn. Will his contribution be ultra-vires in view of the court order?
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