Former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has been reinstated as National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to information just reaching News Express.

Breaking the news to News Express, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, National Publicity Secretary of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), which is out to oust the PDP leadership under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said: “This is good news. It shows that we are on the right track. We expect Bamanga Tukur and his illegal National Working Committee to also be removed soon so that Prince Oyinlola can operate on a clean slate.”

News Express is yet to get details of the ruling by the Appeal Court Abuja.

It would be recalled that Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had on September 27 ordered PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete Oyinlola’s name from their records as the National Secretary of the PDP.

Ruling on a motion on notice that was filed before the court by the Ogun State chapter of the PDP, Justice Kafarati, directed the party and the electoral body to rather recognise one Professor Adewale Oladapo, who it said was duly nominated by the Southwest PDP extra-ordinary zonal congress held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on July 13 this year.

Besides, Justice Kafarati who noted that the High Court had on January 11, sacked Oyinlola from office and ordered a fresh PDP Zonal Congress in the South-West region of the country, said the order remained valid till July 13.

The Judge maintained that having gone through all the documents tendered before the court by the plaintiffs, led by PDP National Chairman in Ogun State, Mr Adebayo Dayo and the Secretary, Mr Semiu Sodipo, he was satisfied that Prof Oladipo was validly nominated by the congress to replace Oyinlola in office.

While granting the plaintiffs’ prayers, the Judge, dismissed Oyinlola’s argument that the court had become funtus officio on the matter, having earlier delivered a judgment in the case.

Justice Karafati said the plaintiff’s application was neither meant to re-open the case nor effect changes to the earlier judgment, but aimed at regularising the steps taken in compliance with the judgment.

On Oyinlola’s argument that the court could no longer consider the application because he had appealed the judgment, the judge held that the application would have no effect on the judgment and the pending appeal.

•Photo shows Prince Oyinlola.

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