Court issues bench warrant for PDP chieftains

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abdulahi Baraje, three other chieftains of the party at the national level and some at the state level in Ogun State for failing to honour the court’s invitation.

The other three national officers who are to face a charge of contempt of the court are party’s National Vice-Chairman, South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo; the National Legal Adviser, Olusola Oke; and the National Organising Secretary, Uche Secondus.

From the party’s chapter in Ogun State, Jimoh Adigun, Mustapha Olabode, Titus Eweje, Fasiu Bakene, Gbenga Shobowale, Dipo Odujirin, Michela Fasinu, Dayo Adebayo, Iyabo Apampa, Segun Showunmi,Monsurudeen Osholake and Lekan Mustapha are due to face contempt charge.

Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court had on Tuesday ordered the men to appear before him on Friday over a matter brought before him by a faction of the party in Ogun State.

But none of the officials of the party honoured the invitation.

Archibong, who described the failure of those invited to appear before him as “an act of subversion of the court order and a serial disrespect for the court,” therefore issued a bench warrant for their arrest on Friday.

But this was after the court dismissed a motion filed by the PDP chieftains seeking the stay of execution of the court summons and stay of the contempt proceedings.

A faction of the party in Ogun State led by Dayo Soremi had gone to the court to challenge the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to oversee the affairs of the party in the state.

The court then on October 25, December 14 and 15, 2011 ordered that the party should maintain the status quo ante pending the determination of the substantive suit.

But this was not obeyed.