The national leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has overruled the decision of its Ogun State chapter to withdraw the party’s petition challenging the re-election of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Recall that the NNPP had filed a petition against Abiodun and INEC before the Tribunal.
NNPP filed the petition over the alleged omission of the party’s name on the ballot papers for the governorship election by INEC.
But the Ogun NNPP had announced its withdrawal through its Chairman, Sunday Oginni, at a press conference held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Sunday.
Addressing journalists, Oginni said: “The New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ogun state chapter under the leadership of Comrade Olaposi Oginni Sunday, hereby step out of court and withdraw the suit with petition number:EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023.”
Oginni also claimed that some unnamed people within the party at the national level wanted to hijack the petition.
According to a statement to journalists, the party’s legal adviser, Robert Hon, overruled the state chapter through a letter dated 27 April and addressed to the Secretary, Ogun State Governorship and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
The letter titled, “Notification of Unauthorised Withdrawal of Petition No: EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023 Pending Before The Ogun State Governorship /State Houses Of Assembly Election Tribunal Holden At Abeokuta,” urged the tribunal to disregard the withdrawal notification by its state chapter.
“The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, the NNPP has been drawn to the fact that a notice has filed to withdraw the above captured suit on behalf of the party,” the letter read.
“We wish to state unequivocally that we do not authorise anybody or group of people nor the counsel on record PETER 1. OGAH ESQ to withdraw the suit pending before the Honourable Tribunal and we do not consent to such withdrawal.
“By the provisions of the Constitution of New Nigeria People’s Party, 2022, particularly Article 27.18 (iii), (v) and (vi); it is only the National Legal Adviser of the Party that can engage the services of an external solicitor where desirable subject to the approval by the National Working Committee (NWC).
“Article 27.18 (v) is hereby reproduced for your ease of reference: ‘The National Legal Adviser shall: (iii) attend to litigations and legal defence on behalf of the party at all levels including its organs, officials and assets (iv) Coordinate the activities of Legal Advisers at all levels on legal matters affecting the party including but not limited to the terms of engagement external Solicitors.
“(v) Be responsible for engaging external retainers, where desirable, and counsel to handle all litigations involving the party at all levels, with the approval of the National Working Committee.’
“A copy of the said Constitution is hereby attached for your ease of reference.
“The purported notice of withdrawal of the said petition is not part of the
terms of engagement of the external counsel and therefore violates the tenets of our Constitution which we hold very dear as a party.
“We most humbly urge on the Honourable Tribunal to discountenance the said notice of withdrawal as the Petitioner NNPP is desirous of prosecuting the Petition before your noble lords to its logical conclusion.
“We therefore urge the members of our great party and the general public not to allow the confidence they reposted on the party to be perforated by any person or group of persons.”
