‘Dosunmu remains Lagos PDP guber candidate’

Posted by admin Lagos, State News Sunday, February 20th, 2011

THE Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reiterated that former Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Ade Dosunmu, remained its governorship standard-bearer in the state.

The party’s stance was sequel to reports of a court order restraining it from parading Dosunmu as its candidate in the April polls.

A Federal High Court in Lagos reportedly ordered Dosunmu to suspend his campaigns until the determination of a suit filed by a PDP member, Mr. Oluowo Adeyeri.

Reports claimed that in her ruling over the alarm raised by Adeyeri that Dosunmu had been campaigning in spite of the pending suit, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako held that as far as the court was concerned, PDP has no governorship candidate in Lagos until the resolution of the matter.

Addressing the media in Lagos at the weekend, Legal Adviser of the Lagos PDP, Anayo Emeanua, described the court order reports purportedly stopping the PDP from parading Dosunmu as its candidates as “false and malicious.”

Emeanua said: “Contrary to the publications, the court made no such orders against the PDP governorship candidate. Instead, the court advised that the status quo be maintained, meaning that pending the conclusion of the proceedings, Dr. Ade Dosunmu is and remains the PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State. The contemptuous conduct of Adeyeri has been brought to the attention of the court for necessary action.”

He also disclosed that the PDP disciplinary committee would look into the matter with a view to penalising members who took the matter to court against the dictate of the party’s constitution.

The legal adviser submitted that Dosunmu emerged in a free and fair primary election based on the wishes of the majority of party faithful.

Adeyeri was reportedly a delegate to the PDP Congress in Ikeja, Lagos on January 10, 2011, where Dosunmu emerged as the party’s governorship candidate.

Earlier, the Lagos PDP Chairman, Setonji Koshoedo, during a rally at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos stressed that Dosunmu and his running mate, Dr. Katherine Eniafe-Olatunji, were the best candidates for the Lagos PDP, adding that they would wrest power from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Koshoedo, however, did not make reference to the court order.

He said: “We have the capacity and vision to be so proactive in redeeming our dear state from the stranglehold of a hostage leadership. And for a good measure, our party now has a seasoned academician, a tested technocrat and a visionary leader as our governorship candidate in the person of Dr. Ade Dosunmu and seasoned medical practitioner, Dr. Katherine Eniafe-Olatunji, as his running mate.”

Dosunmu also told the cheering crowd that the journey to occupying Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja on May 29 had just begun with the start of his campaign.

He said all the candidates chosen to represent the PDP for the April polls at various levels were tested and worthy individuals.

Dosunmu promised that he would reduce the burden of the alleged multiple tax regime in Lagos State if elected into office.

-Guardian

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