The Federal High Court in Abuja today (Tuesday) joined the newly elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Hon. Samson Bamgbose and three others – Bimbo Lanre-Balogun, Segun Awoyomi and Mulikat Kusimo – as necessary parties in a suit filed by the national leadership of the PDP at the behest of Hon. Ladi Adebutu against the erstwhile Chief Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of the Party.
It also retained Prince Ajibola Oluyede as counsel to the Ogun State Executive Committee (Exco) of the Party.
It would be recalled that Dayo had written a 30th of March, 2020, purportedly debriefing Oluyede as counsel to the State Exco.
This move was, however, challenged by Bamgbose and other members of the State Executive Committee who retained Oluyede as their counsel through their counter letters of 31st March, 2020 and 8th April, 2020.
When the matter came up today (Tuesday), Oluyede informed the court that Dayo has been compromised and his intention is to align with the plaintiff to get a judgment that will be favourable to him and the plaintiff, hence he cannot decide who should be the counsel to State Exco; more so, he has been suspended and his term of office has also elapsed.
Chief Adeniyi Odugbesan tried in vain to convince the court on why he should be heard and admitted as the new counsel to the State Exco.
Ruling, the court granted the application of interested parties seeking to be joined as defendants in the matter (Bamgbose, Lanre-Balogun, Awoyomi and Kusimo) and further held that Oluyede will continue to act as counsel to the Ogun State PDP Exco while Odugbesan will be counsel to Dayo.
With this development, the effort by Dayo and his cohorts to collude with the Ladi Adebutu group and have a smooth sail by shutting out the Bamgbose-led State Exco has failed woefully.
Contrary to the report being circulated on the social media in respect of the matter involving People’s Democratic Party vs. Engr. Adebayo Dayo & ORS which came up today before the Hon. Justice Mohammed of Federal High Court, Abuja, as a participant-observer who was in court, the true position of what transpired in court are as follows:
1. The Motion seeking to join Hon. Samson Bamgbose and three others as the authentic and authorized representatives of the Ogun State PDP Executive Committee filed and moved by Prince Ajibola Oluyede on the grounds that Engr. Adebayo Dayo has compromised his status as the former Chairman and cannot unilaterally take decisions on behalf of the other members of the State Exco was granted by the court.
The court then ordered the learned senior counsel to PDP, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) to amend his processes in order to reflect the names of (a) Mr Samson Bamgbose (b)Mrs. Bimbo Lanre-Balogun (c)Mrs Mulikat Kusimo and (d) Mr. Awoyomi Segun as the authentic and authorized representatives of PDP in Ogun State.
2. Also, the Motion for Joinder by the immediate past and current PDP Local Govt Chairmen seeking to be joined as an interested parties for the effective determination of the suit filed by Prince Ajibola Oluyede was also granted by the court.
Again, the court ordered the PDP counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) to amend the Originating Summons within 3 days to reflect the names of LG Chairmen and serve the defendants.
3. The Motion to substitute the name of Engr. Adebayo Dayo was withdrawn by Barrister Ajibola Oluyede on the understanding between Chief Chris Uche and Barrister Odugbesan that Engr. Dayo would only be represented in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the Ogun State PDP Exco which the court duly granted and struck out which is the practice in law.
4. Counsel to PDP Chief Chris Uche had earlier filed three (3) Counter Affidavit in opposition to the Motion for Joinder, Motion to Set Aside the Notice of Change of Counsel, Reply on Point of Law filed by Prince Oluyede, but because the Order granted by the Court to join Bamgbose and others as the authentic EXCO of PDP in Ogun State, the Counsel to PDP Chief Chris Uche withdrew all the Counter Affidavits to the Motions for Joinder filed by Prince Oluyede and they were duly struck out.
This led to the withdrawal of the Motion for Cross Examination of Engr. Dayo over conflicting affidavits which can only be resolved by giving Oral Evidence, Reply on Point of Law to the Counter Affidavits filed by Chris Uche and Motion for Extension of time to regularize all the processes filed were duly struck out.
5. The Court directed the names of Hon. Samson Bamgbose and 6 Others to be reflected in the Amended Originating Summons to be filed and served by the Counsel to PDP.
6. Engr. Adebayo Dayo therefore remains as the 1st Defendant in his personal capacity and to be represented by his lawyer, Chief Adeniyi Odugbesan and not as claimed by the dissident group.
The court thereafter adjourned till 30th June, 2020, for definite hearing of the matter.
Taiwo Shote, Esq.
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