Fresh Crisis in PDP as Court Sacks Party Chairman

Engr. Deji Doherty, the chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been sacked by the state high court.

The court has also reinstated Dr Adegbola Dominic as the chairman of the opposition party in Lagos, Daily Trust reported.

VAM News gathers that the court agreed with the argument of Dominic who had taken the PDP to court that there was no vacancy in the party.

Dominic had challenged the special congress of the party that was held in November 2019, saying he remained the substantive chairman having succeeded the former chairman who resigned from the party, Nigerian Tribune also reported.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Oyekan Abdullahi held the preliminary objection filed by the defendants lacked merit and dismissed them.

Abdullahi ruled that Dominic was duly appointed to serve out the term of his predecessor who resigned.

Speaking with Daily Trust, Dominic on Wednesday, June 23, said he was ready to take over the affairs of the party with immediate effect. He added that the verdict had clearly stated that there was no vacancy in the party in the first place. Dominic also said he was in talks with security agencies with a view to fast-track his resumption as the state chairman by Friday, June 25.

However, Doherty has that the verdict that reinstated Dominic as the state chairman did not have any merit and so could not hold. He stated that the party has a 14-day window to appeal the judgement, insisting that he remained the chairman and that he just finished the state working committee meeting.

Doherty added that the PDP’s national secretariat will study the judgement when served and act appropriately. He said Dominic has nothing to take over as the PDP’s national leadership does not recognize him as the Lagos state chairman.