THE Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, granted an interim order staying the execution of all orders granted by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, restraining the Dr. Eddy Olafeso-led Southwest Zonal Exco of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from functioning. Kashamu The order of the appellate court settled the dispute over which Exco body should represent the Southwest at December 9 National Convention of the PDP.
The Appeal Court, which also stopped all proceedings at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti pending the determination of the appeal, frowned at a letter dated November 30, 2017, addressed to the Presiding Justice of the Appeal Court, Ado-Ekiti Division, by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, seeking a postponement of the hearing of the motion for a stay of execution brought by the Olafeso group, declaring that it was an attempt to intimidate the court by the first respondent (Ogundipe).” In granting the application for stay of execution of the Justice Taiwo Taiwo orders, the appeal court, presided by Justice Ahmad Belgore took cognizance of the pending application to commit Olafeso and others to prison for contempt scheduled to be heard today (Tuesday) at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti.
He said: “All the orders and rulings of the lower court delivered on October 17, October 23, November 8 and November 27, 2017 respectively have been stayed in the interim, meaning that those orders and rulings are of no value as from now and cannot be used anywhere having been rendered null and void, and that all the proceedings at the Federal High Court have stayed pending the determination of the interlocutory appeal that is before the Appeal Court.” Further hearing on the appeal was adjourned till January 15, 2018.
It’s victory over forces of darkness — Olafeso
Reacting to the development, Olafeso said: “The proceeding at the Court of Appeal, Ado Ekiti should be a clear message to those who have used the crooked judicial process to hold our party down that their game has come to an inglorious end.”
Source: Vanguard
