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New plot to further rape democracy in Ogun state -By Raheem
Ajayi Newsdiaryonline Thur
March 24,2011
We hereby alert the citizens of Ogun State and the generality of
Nigerians about the grand plot by the elements who have hijacked
the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ogun State, to precipitate a
major crisis prior to the April 2011 elections. Their new game
plan is to return to the Court of Justice Abdul Kafarati who is
sure to grant them an injunction as he did on January 26th,
2011, which effectively annulled the valid primaries of the PDP
in Ogun State. This time around they want Justice Kafarati to
grant them an injunction stopping the candidates of the Peoples
Party of Nigeria, PPN, especially the gubernatorial flag bearer,
Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka from running in the election on
spurious allegation.
This is not only condemnable but an usurpation of the functions
of the Independent National Electoral Commission and also an
infraction of the rights of the PPN under the electoral law to
present its duly nominated candidates for election. We cry out
to the whole world that both the PPN and those of us who are
victims of Justice Kafarati's curious injunction and judgement
have no confidence in obtaining Justice in the Court of Kafarati.
And we do not sound this warning without cause.
While the application made for a relief to appeal Justice
Kafarati's judgement of March 3, 2011 made to him since three
weeks ago was fixed for hearing on April 25, 2011, the new suit
filed just yesterday March 23, 2011 was speedily fixed for
hearing on March 31, 2011, barely two days before the first sets
of election. The purpose of all of this is to unsettle our
candidates, confuse the electorate, while destabilising the
whole electoral process in Ogun State as well as Nigeria. Apart
from this fact, it is curious that contrary to the Directive of
the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice I.N. Auta,
that all cases arising from primary elections in the states
should be heard in their respective states, this suit against
the PPN is listed to be heard at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Who therefore allocated this case to Justice Kafarati?
It would be recalled that Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka and other
candidates who are now running on the platform of the PPN were
forced to quit the PDP when mandates freely given to them at the
primaries conducted by the National headquarters of the party,
supervised by INEC and monitored by security agencies were
blatantly stolen and given to persons who either did not
participate in the primaries at all or conducted fake primaries
in private homes by the widely condemned injunction and
judgement of Justice Kafarati.
We therefore call on the President of the Federation, the
leadership and members of the National Assembly , the Chief
Justice of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral
Commission, civil rights organizations, the mass media,
electoral monitors from within and outside the country ,
religious leaders and faith based organizations, Nigeria
Bar Association, Nigeria Labour Congress and the generality of
Nigerians not to allow this tiny band of opportunists and
desperadoes truncate democracy and cause unending crisis
in the land. All men and women of goodwill and those who cherish
democracy must stand up and condemn this patent rape of
democracy and abuse of the court process. For it is now very
clear that these people who are obviously not democrats by all
their actions are determined to subvert democracy in Nigeria
using Ogun State as their staging post.
The question all well
meaning Nigerians must ask is: why is the PDP in Ogun State
afraid of going to the electorate for votes against the PPN
candidates?
They should allow the people of Ogun State to freely choose
their elected representatives in free and fair elections rather
than working to rule them at all cost and through illegitimate
means.
Raheem Ajayi, Publicty Secretary, PPN, Ogun State Chapter.
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