Ogun LG polls: PDP drags OGSIEC to courtPublished on June 19, 2021By Ishola Oludare

 Ogun LG polls: PDP drags OGSIEC to courtPublished on June 19, 2021By Ishola Oludare

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dragged the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) before a State High Court in Abeokuta, DAILY POST reports.

The PDP is praying the court to restrain OGSIEC and its Chairman, Babatunde Osibodu, from meddling in the affairs of the party.

The party asked the court to stop Osibodu from recognising a loyalist of late Buruji Kashamu, Leke Shittu, as the leader of the party.

DAILY POST gathered that OGSIEC has handed over all forms belonging to the PDP to Shittu, as Osibodu said he was dealing with the authentic faction based on documents submitted by both parties to the commission.

Ogun LG polls: PDP kicks as OGSIEC reportedly recognises Kashamu faction

This is happening despite efforts by the Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation committee to make peace between the Ladi Adebutu and Kashamu factions of the PDP in the state.

DAILY POST reports that after the reconciliation, Chief Sikirulahi Ogundele was confirmed as the State Chairman of the PDP in Ogun at a reunion held at the party secretariat.

But as OGSIEC released the time table for the July 24 local government election, the infighting within the two factions reared its ugly head again when Shittu approached Osibodu as the head of the Kashamu faction and succeeded in getting the nod of the electoral body.

Recently, the party Chairman, Ogundele and other leaders of the party led a protest against the electoral umpire, but the commission did not change its stand.

Dissatisfied, the party on Friday filed a suit against the commission, its chairman and Shittu.

The party spokesman, Akinloye Bankole, confirmed this to DAILY POST in an interview on Saturday.

LG polls: OGSIEC denies giving PDP’s forms to Kashamu faction

“We have filed our case against OGSIEC, Osibodu and Leke Shittu. We have formally lodged our complaints in court and we are expecting them to call us between Monday or Wednesday for commencement of the process.

“The party prayed the court to halt all these irregularities from OGSIEC. We accused Osibodu of contempt of court, because there is a court order in favour of our exco. We also want the court to stop Shittu from parading himself as the representative of the party,” Bankole said.

The party Publicity Secretary charged party members to remain calm, adding that the attempt to shut the PDP out of the coming local government polls by some “politicians in power” will not succeed.