PDP govs to Anenih: No peace unless Oyinlola returns

Peoples Democratic Party governors are insisting that the sacked National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, must return to office.

This was one of the major conditions given by the governors when the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, visited some of them over the last few days, as part of efforts at finding solutions to the crisis rocking the party.

An investigation by our correspondent showed that the party had started considering a political solution that would make Oyinlola to return to office.

The party is merely waiting for the outcome of his case, which is pending before the Court of Appeal.

Oyinlola was sacked by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in January.

His sacking has pitted the leadership of the party against the governors, who are insisting that the removal of the national secretary was more political than legal.

Oyinlola was the candidate of the governors during the party’s National Convention in 2011.

The governors are therefore insisting that he must be returned to the office before they could pardon the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Tukur was the candidate of President Goodluck Jonathan during the election that brought the present members of the party’s National Working Committee to office.

A member of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, confirmed the likelihood of a political solution to Oyinlola’s case.

He said because the matter was still in court, he would not speak elaborately on it.

He, however, said, “But court or no court, what is important is the political solution we can consider.

“I think what we are expecting is the court ruling. There must be a political solution to it in a way that will be beneficial to him (Oyinlola) and the party.”

Oyedokun, who is a member of the Anenih team that has been visiting the governors, added that none of the governors the team visited demanded the removal of Tukur.

The team had been to Jigawa, Niger, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states among others.

Though Oyedokun said there were those who complained about some actions of the chairman, he added that his removal might not also be in the interest of the party.

He said, “We have never had that (governors asking for Tukur’s sacking). To the best of my knowledge, I am not saying that there is none with grievances because of the actions he has taken, but no governor has called for his removal.

    “Will that (his removal) even be in the interest of the party at this time? No.”

On the implications of the governors opening their doors for the Anenih team whereas they refused to receive Tukur and members of his National Working Committee when they visited the zones for reconciliation, Oyedokun said it was due to the way the NWC arranged its own visit.

Besides, he said the Anenih team was only going to see the governors in their states and not zones.