22nd February, 2011
A desperate campaign mounted by Ogun state Peoples Democratic Partyâ€
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was unable to decide whether to hear their application for the setting aside of the order or to hear an application filed by Obasanjo’s group seeking for their committal to prison for holding the court in contempt.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s faction of the party in the state, whose list of candidates is being recognized by the electoral body had filed an application seeking to commit the Governor Gbenga Daniels factionâ€
.At the resumed hearing on the matter, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, a senior advocate of Nigeria representing the Party, pleaded with the court to hear their application which seeks for the vacation of the interim restraining order to enable the court hear the substantive motion with a view to reaching a decision on which factionâ€
He reminded the court that the last date for the substitution of candidates as specified in the INEC released time table is Monday, 28th February and pleaded with the court to consider the urgency of the matter. He drew the attention of the court to two pending applications filed before the court by his client challenging the jurisdiction of the court in granting the interim restraining order which it granted on the 8th of February.
.The Obasanjo group represented by Chief Olagoke Fakunle, also a senior advocate of Nigeria, on their part prayed the court to give the hearing of their contempt proceedings priority over Governor Gbenga Danielâ€
Mr. Fakunle told the court to ignore submissions made by counsel to the Gbenga Danielâ€
Justice Abdu Kafarati, the presiding judge subsequently adjourned to Monday 28th February, to rule on whose application to take first.
A member of the former Presidentâ€
According to Mr. Alawode, the list of their faction which had the name of General Olurin as the party’s flag bearer for the gubernatorial election in the state as well as other contestants remain the valid list of candidates that will contest the forth coming election.
By Nnamdi Felix/Abuja