… Says era of lawlessness and impunity is over
A High Court in Ado Ekiti has nullified the expulsion of five National Assembly candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.
Justice Dele Omotoso, while giving the judgement on Thursday, in Suit Number HAD/12/2023, filed by five of the PDP National Assembly candidates to challenge their suspension and expulsion from the party, said the era of impunity and lawlessness had passed.
He said the PDP, as a political party must obey its own rules, frowning at the suspension and later expulsion of the National Assembly candidates in contravention of Section 57 (6) of the party’s constitution.
Recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP expelled the five National Assembly candidates in Ekiti State for alleged anti-Party activities on February 10.
The candidates are the son of the former governor Ayo Fayose, Oluwajomiloju, the House of Representatives candidate representing Ekiti Central constituency I, Fayose’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka who is the House of Representatives candidate of Ekiti Central constituency II; Akerele Oluyinka, the House of Representatives candidate of Ekiti North constituency.
Other includes Emiola Adenike Jennifer, the House of Representatives candidate of Ekiti South constituency II and Ajijola Lateef Oladimeji, the Senatorial candidate of Ekiti Central District.
Before the PDP NWC expelled the candidates from the party, the Court had earlier restrained the party from taking any further action on the earlier suspended National Assembly candidates of the party in Ekiti State as well as State House of Assembly candidates of the party in the State.
The court ordered the party to ‘maintain status quo’ following a motion filed by the NASS candidates but the party disobey the court’s order to expel the candidates.
Three days ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said that all the National Assembly candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State are authentic and cannot be replaced.