Court asked to stop NWC from interfering in Ogun NNPP affairs

 

The crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party has taken a new twist following the move by the chairman, Comrade Olaposi Oginni on behalf of the state executive council to get an interlocutory injunction restraining the National Working Committee of the party from suspending, impeaching, expelling, or dissolving the state executive. 

The state council dragged the NNPP NWC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to court to seek an order restraining the national body from interfering in the affairs and activities of the party in Ogun State. 

He also prayed the court to give an order directing NNPP NWC to maintain status quo in Ogun State by allowing him to remain the chairman of the party and act in that regard. 

Oginni in his originating summons asked the court to declare that he is vested with the constitutional right and duty, being the Chairman of the NNPP in Ogun State to take necessary actions for the protection of the interest of the party in the state. 

He also prayed the court to grant an order directing INEC to recognize only him as the democratically elected chairman of NNPP in the state and shall remain in office until the expiration of his tenure. 

It was gathered that the latest legal battle is not unconnected to the supremacy battle between the state executive and the governorship candidate of the party in the last general election, Olufemi Ajadi. 

Speaking on the recent legal suit, Oginni said he went to court so as to save Ogun NNPP from suspected hijackers. 

The Ogun NNPP chair alleged that the party’s governorship candidate reportedly connived with some national leaders in frustrating his efforts in developing the party in Ogun State. 

He said, “You can see that some people from the NWC have been sending frivolous letters. We all see what they did during our tribunal case. It is obvious that they want to destroy the party. 

“But as someone that built the NNPP in Ogun State from scratch, I will not want that to happen, so I have to protect the party from hijackers who just want to use the party for their personal gain. 

“It is disheartening that this set of people wanted to frustrate all our efforts and use money, and connections to send us out of the party; they don't know how it started. We have to use the judicial means to seek justice and ensure that our mandate remains with us no matter what.

"Recognizing the Point of Law that the Service of this Court summon has stopped any form of illegal letter or pronouncement by the NWC, any further action by The National Secretariat or NWC on Ogun NNPP's issues will surely amount to contempt.”

Meanwhile, the federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta has fixed 22nd of May for hearing of the matter.