I never authorised petition on Ekiti ward, LG and State delegates’ list – SAN

Emmanuel AmudaSeptember 28, 2021

3 minutes read

The eminent lawyer, Professor Wahab Egbewole (SAN), has denied authorising the letter or the use of his law firm’s letterhead send to the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, asking the party to jettison the list of the ward, local government and state delegates ahead of the party governorship primary in the state.

Newsflash Nigeria had earlier reported that one lawyer identified as Stephen Ademuwagun, loyal to the group of current Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Biodun Olujimi, alleged him of using the letterhead of Wahab Egbewole (SAN) to write a letter to PDP National Secretariat without his consent.

The lawyer had written a letter dated September 13, 2021, to the PDP Acting National Chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, calling for intervention on the Ekiti State Ward, Local Government and State Congresses.

The petition bore the letterhead of the eminent lawyer, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), who has denied authorising the letter or the use of his law firm’s letterhead.

Ademuwagun, one of the lawyers handling the suits filed by the group loyal to Senator Biodun Olujimi, is in trouble for allegedly using the letterhead without Egbewole’s consent.

The letter dated September 13, 2021, was titled: “Legal status of the PDP Congresses in Ekiti State: An appeal to ensure transparency, strict adherence to party’s constitution, guidelines, electoral law and due process of law in forthcoming Ekiti State PDP party congresses and governorship primaries ahead of 2022 governorship election.”

The counsel urged PDP Acting National Chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi to intervene in the Ekiti State Ward, Local Government and State Congresses.

Copies were sent to the PDP National Reconciliation Committee Chairman Dr. Olusola Saraki, Southwest PDP Leader Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, National Convention Planning Committee Chairman Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri, National Organising Secretary, National Vice Chairman (South) Taofik Arapaja, National Legal Adviser, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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He premised his demand for intervention on suit number FHC/EK/CS/14 /2020, with pending appeal at the Supreme Court and HAD/83/2020, with an appeal pending at the Appeal Court, Ado Ekiti, both of which were filed by the Olujimi’s Repositioning Group and judgements already entered against the plaintiffs.

The petitioners, who claimed to be acting on behalf of some aggrieved members, the alleged substitution of the delegates’ list, flawed process and injustice, urging the party’s national leadership to consider appropriate action as the chapter warms up for governorship election. However, Egbewole, who handled the matters at the lower and appellate courts disowned the letter, saying that he neither gave instruction to anyone to write such letter nor authorised anyone to use his letterhead.

Irked by the behaviour of the junior lawyer, the SAN was said to have chided him for the letter and threatened to report him to the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA) Disciplinary Committee, if a retraction was not made.

Egbewole, who spoke on phone with The Nation correspondent, said: “I don’t know anything about the petition. The case triggered by the ward congresses had been settled by High Court and Appeal Court. I was the lead counsel.”

But, Ademuwagun, who also spoke briefly on phone with reporters, refrained from either confirming or denying the petition, merely saying that “the case has not ended; it has moved to the Supreme Court.”

A source said Ademuwagun had reached out to Yinka Akerele, a chieftain of the Olujimi faction, to intervene in the matter. Akerele has appealed to the legal luminary not to report to the Bar association.

Concerned party members who are protesting against the petition have called for a thorough investigation of its source and motivation.

The two factions of the Ekiti PDP, led by former Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujimi, were at loggerheads over the ward congress. Both held parallel congresses.

However, the National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC), led by Uche Secondus, who is now on suspension, recognised the list of Fayose group delegates.

The list was used during the Southwest PDP congress at Osogbo, Osun State capital, where Taofik Arapaja emerged as National Vice Chairman (Southwest)/Zonal Leader.