- The court of appeal in Ekiti state has stopped the execution of the judegment restraining Eddy Olafeso-led south west zonal executives of the PDP from functioning
- Justice Belgore said all proceedings before the Federal High Court in respect of the suit should stop
- Olafeso thanked the state governor Ayodele Fayose and all members of the PDP for the victory
The Ado Ekiti court of appeal on Monday, November 4, stopped the execution of the judgement of the Federal High Court in the state and recognised the Makanjuola Ogundipe-led southwest zonal executive of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The judge of the court also stopped the execution of the judgement restraining Eddy Olafeso-led south west zonal executives of the PDP from functioning.
Punch reports that the applicants are the PDP the national caretaker committee chairman, senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ben Obi.
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The first to the sixth respondents are Ogundipe, Chief Adepegba Otemolu, Lanre Orimoloye, Supo Adeniyi, Otunba Femi Carenna and the independent national electoral commission.
Other respondents included Olafeso, Bunmi Jenyo, Adebola Ogunrinde, Femi Adetola, Ojo Williams, Fasin Bakonne, Philip Auchoji and Biliamin Ogundele.
Ruling, Justice Belgore held: ''Upon the court not hearing the motion on notice herein because there is no proof of service of the hearing notice on the second, third, fourth and fifth respondents; all the interim orders already made by the Federal High Court in Ekiti state in suit no: FHC/AD/C5/18/2017, contained in the ruling of Hon. Justice Taiwo Taiwo, delivered on October 17, 2017, November 8 and 27, 2017 are hereby stayed pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on November 29, 2017.
“All proceedings before the Federal High Court in respect of the suit are hereby stayed in the motion pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The interim orders made herein also affect the appeal. The motion on notice is hereby adjourned till January 15, 2018.”
Olowolafe also wondered why the record of proceedings at the lower court was not made available until he had to depose to an affidavit that the lower court was deliberately hiding the court records to frustrate the appeal in order to foist the Ogundipe’s group on the PDP.
He said: ''The orders were granted ex parte on October 17, 2017, having filed same application on October 16. Knowing that its lifespan was 14 days, it was further extended on November 8, 2017.
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''On that same day, all parties were in court, but to our chagrin, the matter was adjourned sine die to when the court will call the parties at its own discretion to give us hearing notice.
''Curiously, on November 27, 2017, the same court that had adjourned sine die, sat on a matter ex parte, making all frantic efforts in conjunction with Makanjuola and his cohorts, attempting to commit the National Chairman and Secretary to the National Caretaker committee, Senator Ben Obi and others to prison for contempt of court.''
Reacting to the order, Olafeso thanked all members of the PDP for the victory ''over the forces of darkness. Specifically, I thank our leader and the state governor Ayodele Fayose, for his commitment to saving our party from this cankerworm. I cannot thank him enough.''
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the senator representing Ogun west senatorial district Buruji Kashamu urged PDP to zone the national chairmanship position of the party to the southwest.
Kashamu said the move will save the PDP from disintegration.
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Source: Naija.ng