The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told members of the Ladi Adebutu Democratic Organisation (LADO) that the suit it filed against some members of the group who were presented to the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) as candidates of the party is timely and competent.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta on Monday by the Publicity Secretary, Austin Oniyokor, the party said it was exciting that the undemocratic elements were already fidgeting and singing like canary even before they have their day in court.

The statement reads in part, “We read with amusement their puerile and amateurish response to the news of the suit that we filed to challenge their illegality. Perhaps, they need to be reminded that the suit is timely and competent because, according to the timetable released by OGSIEC, the publication of the final list of candidates for the 16th November, 2024 LG election was done on the 6th of November 2024.

“The matter was filed on the same day, 6th of November, 2024. In effect, it was on that day that the cause of action arose. That makes the suit competent by extant laws.

“Our misguided friends have also contended rather erroneously that by the provisions of Article 8 (3) of our party’s Constitution (as amended in 2017), it is only the Ward Chairman and Ward Secretary that can authenticate register of our party.

“Apart from the fact that the tenure of office of all the Ward, LGA and State Excos had expired in July 2024 and so there were no Ward Chairman or Ward Secretary anywhere in the 236 Wards, these misguided elements have lost sight of the basic rule of statutory interpretation which enjoins that statute should be read as a harmonious whole with separate parts being interpreted within their broader statutory context.

“Otherwise, they would not have shut their eyes to the provisions of Article 8 (10) of our party’s Constitution which states that ‘The Party membership register may be computerised to ensure control and to avoid fraud, and all Ward registers shall be closed one (1) month to congresses; whereas statutory delegates list for elective congresses shall be authenticated by the National Secretariat ninety (90) days before the Congress in question’.

“What is more? Article 2.3 (I) of the 2024 Guidelines for Congresses states: ‘The Ward Congresses Committee will have additional responsibility for: Harmonising all existing Ward Registers before the Ward Congresses’.

“In essence, the drafters of the our Party’s Constitution and guidelines envisaged the possibility of having more than one set of registers and made provision for harmonisation by the Ward Congress Committee appointed by the NWC.

“The section of the Constitution that talks about Party register being authenticated by the Ward Chairman and Ward Secretary did not relate it to Congress. The ONLY part that talks about the authentication of the register by the national leadership of the Party and expressly relates it “…to the Congress in question” is Article 8 (10). The phrase “the congress in question” means there are various levels of congresses from the Ward to the LGA, State and Zonal levels.

“So, where an individual or group then decides not to produce their registers for “authentication” by the National leadership and “harmonization” by the Ward Congress Committee, then it is a decided process that they stand disqualified because you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand.

“Furthermore, Article 8.0 (i) and (ii) of the Guidelines states ‘Every registered card-carrying member shall be eligible to vote and be voted for at the Ward level. An aspirant for election into any party office must be a duly registered card-carrying member of the Party whose name is contained in the Party’s membership register’.

“The fact remains that the Ladi Adebutu group miscalculated and effectively shut the door against itself when it ignored the NWC’s request to make the registers in their possession available for authentication and harmonisation.

“This is a simple matter for the court to decide on. The issue for the court to decide is: can anyone or a party undermine its own Constitution and Guidelines, then expect the court to turn a blind eye? The answer is a resounding NO!

“Even our Party’s NWC cannot undo the authenticated register dated 29th of August, 2024 given to the Ward Congress Committee to conduct the Ward Congress on the 31st of August, 2024.

“Rather than pointing accusing fingers at the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Ladi Adebutu group should accept the fact that they blew a golden opportunity as a result of Ladi Adebutu’s arrogance and ineptitude.

“How can a man have the entire state PDP under his control until January 2024, and throw it all away within a week of the Supreme Court decision, on the altar of his inordinate 2027 gubernatorial ambition?

“It is becoming clearer that Ladi Adebutu will continue to repeat the same mistakes he and his handlers made in 2019 and 2022 that saw the party losing out. The game has started and we shall soon know the winners and losers.”