By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Ahead of the 2023 general election, a fresh crisis has erupted within the fold of the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over who is leader of the party in the state.
The situation within the party worsened after the immediate past governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko was dragged to court over his status as the leader of the party.
A chieftain of the party, Bode Obanla, who is also the Coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party Support Group (PSG), filed a suit at the state High Court to bar the former governor from assuming the leadership of the party.
According to Obanla, Mimiko dumped the party when party members needed him most to lead the party in the state.
Mimiko, a two-term governor recently rejoined the party from his Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) after four PDP governors visited him in his country home in Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
Obanla on Monday, through his counsels, Messrs Kalu Kalu Agu and Oladimeji Oyesusi, sought a declaration that Mimiko by virtue of Chapter two Article 17 of the Constitution of the PDP as amended, remains an ordinary member of the PDP in the state.
Aside Mimiko, the suit has as defendants, the National Chairman of PDP, Iyochia Ayu, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), State Chairman of the party, Fatai Adams, members of the State Working Committee, as well as the PDP.
In his prayer before the court, the Claimant sought for “a declaration that the Mimiko is not entitled to be accorded the seniority and privileges attendant to his status as a former Governor in his membership of Ward Executive Committee, Local Government Executive Committee, State Executive Committee and the National Caucus in that he was not a Governor produced by the PDP not having won any Governorship Election under the party.”
Consequently, he sought for an “order of perpetual injunction restraining Mimiko from holding out himself or parading himself as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP as established in chapter four article 13 (1) and 31(1) (w) of the constitution of the PDP.”
Obanla maintained that Mimiko who has never contested election under the PDP cannot rejoin the party and assume the position of a leader in the party in the state.
Meanwhile, the hearing of the suit is yet to be fixed by the court.
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