Court stops fresh Ogun PDP congress

Court stops fresh Ogun PDP congress

An Ogun State Magistrate's Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta today (Wednesday) restrained the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from holding the congress scheduled to hold on Saturday.

This was the highpoint of court proceedings held today wherein two members of the caretaker committee led by Tunde Odanye are standing trial for contempt of the court.

Specifically, the duo of Mr. Bankole Osisanya and Mrs Temidayo Nike and others at large were arraigned by the Police for disobeying the judgment of the Federal High Court which validated the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco till 2020.

Ruling on an application by the prosecution to withdraw the bail granted the accused persons, Magistrate Idowu Olayinka, who turned down the request for the revocation of bail, granted the two members of the committee, restrained members of the caretaker committee from holding any meeting and congress in any part of Ogun State.

According to Olayinka, a Magistrate II, efforts must be geared towards maintaining law and order in the state; thus, he ordered the embattled exco and the caretaker committee of the PDP Ogun State, to refrain from engaging in any physical confrontation likely to cause a breach of the peace in the state or any part of it.

He also ordered the AIG in charge of Zone 2, officer in charge of zonal intervention squad, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and heads of police formation, to arrest, investigate and prosecute any member of the caretaker committee found in violation of the order.

The Magistrate also directed the prosecution and defence team to impress it on their clients and witnesses, the consequences of disobedience to the order.

He then adjourned the case to 21st November, 2017, for hearing of preliminary objection.

 For the avoidance of doubt, the court orders are as follows:

"The embattled EXCO and the Caretaker Committee of the PDP Ogun State are ordered to restrain from engaging in any physical confrontation likely to led to breach of peace in Ogun State or any part of Ogun State.

"The two accused persons, the Caretaker Committee and any persons or group of persons, deriving authority from them are hereby restrained from holding any congress gathering, public assembly or meeting likely to cause breach in Ogun State or any part of Ogun State.

"The AIG Zone II, Officer in Charge Zonal Intervention Squad, the Commissioner of Police Ogun State Command, the DSS Ogun State Command and all heads of Police formation in Ogun State are hereby ordered to ensure strict compliance with this order, to arrest, investigate and prosecute any member of the Caretaker Committee found in violation of this Order.

"The prosecution and defence team to impress it on their clients and witnesses the consequences of disobedience to this order."