Oyinlola Vows Not To Honour PDP Disciplinary C’ttee Invitation

Olagunsoye OyinlolaThe suspended National Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, yesterday said he would not honour the invitation of the party’s disciplinary committee, headed by ex-Transport Minister, Alhaji Umaru Dikko.

Oyinlola said he was not aware of the composition of the panel, besides, as a law abiding member of the PDP and free citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he argued that he will not be an accomplice or accessory to constitutional violations, considering especially the fact that he swore to an oath of office stipulating that he will respect and protect the ground norm of the PDP in his capacity as the custodian of the seal of the party.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Principal Secretary, Mr. Femi Adelegan, Oyinlola said no disciplinary committee could be constituted without the ratification of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

The statement reads in part: “Prince Oyinlola is conscious of the provision of PDP’s constitution, which states that ‘nominations to the Disciplinary Committee at the national level shall be ratified by the National Executive Committee of the PDP.’

“In effect, Oyinlola, as a law-abiding member of the PDP, is not aware of the composition of any disciplinary panel, which is ratified or known to the National Executive Committee of the PDP.

“This reaction is being made out of courtesy for the media and its right to be informed, as Oyinlola has received no correspondence and would not honour any invitation from any illegal body.

“The PDP National Secretary has great respect for the NWC committee; that is, however, not recognised by the PDP constitution, which stipulates that the party’s NEC is the statutory body to approve the composition of a disciplinary body at the national level.

“The first meeting of PDP’s NEC deliberated on the composition of the Disciplinary Committee but never agreed on its membership.

“I am also sure that the second NEC meeting ought to have been held by the NWC, did not also agree on the membership of any Disciplinary Committee.

“It is rather funny, illogical and antithetical to democratic conduct for the NWC, which has consistently denigrated the Judiciary, the constitution of the PDP and the extant norm of Nigeria, to be talking about discipline and internal party democracy, when it has continued to disregard for the rule of law”.