Fayose Threatens To Sue PDP After Reversing His Suspension, Demands Apology

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has threatened to sue the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the party fails to apologize for suspending him.

KanyiDaily recalls that Fayose and some PDP members were suspended by the party’s National Working Committee over alleged anti-party activities.

However, on Thursday, the PDP reversed the decision saying the decision was taken after the NWC “extensively discussed recent developments” in the party.

In a letter dated March 31 and addressed to Iliya Damagum, PDP’s acting national chairman, Fayose’s lawyer, Akinwale Kol-Taiwo said the suspension was “libellous and defamatory” with the intent to tarnish his image.

Fayose threatened to go to court should PDP fail to apologize to him for the suspension which was done without recourse to laid down procedure/due process of law as contained in the Constitution of the PDP  Constitution (as amended in 2017).

“We are further informed by our client that by the letter dated 24th March 2023, the reversal of our client’s suspension from Peoples Democratic Party which was done without recourse to laid down procedure/due process of law as contained in the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (as amended in 2017) was requested,” the letter reads.

“The Peoples Democratic Party, in retracing its steps and by implication admitting the content of the letter dated 24th March 2023, reversed the suspension of our client by a press release issued on 30th March 2023 through the office of the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“The aforesaid libellous press release was designed to smear and tarnish the good reputation of our client in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society, as well as to subject our client to odium, ridicule, and public opprobrium in presence of his political associates and the general public.

“While we do not contend that the Peoples Democratic Party reserve the power(s) to take disciplinary action against any erring member(s), it is much more pertinent to state that the said power(s) to take disciplinary action is not absolute, the said power(s) to take disciplinary action is limited to doctrine of fair hearing as enshrined in the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution (as amended in 2017) and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended. As such, your disciplinary powers must not be seen to infringe on the right of another citizen or person.

“There is no doubt that the action of the national working committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (NWC) in this purported suspension saga acted rashly on baseless and unfounded allegations, thereby making our party — the Peoples Democratic Party — not just look weak, but disorganised.”

Kol-Taiwo said if the PDP fails to issue an apology to Fayose within 72 hours of receiving the letter, he will commence legal actions against the party.

This comes a few days after Iyorchia Ayu was removed as the PDP national chairman and Iliya Damagum was appointed as the acting leader.