PDP Faction Wants Bode George Jailed For Contempt

Akeem Nafiu, Lagos - 08.03.2008

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has instituted a suit at an Ikeja High Court seeking to commit to prison a chieftain of the party, Chief Olabode George, for allegedly spearheading the conduct of the party's congress in defiance of an order of the court which barred the party from doing so.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday before Justice Alaba Marsh, the faction, through their lawyer, Barrister Kehinde Oshinowo, informed the court they had filed an affidavit dated 5th of March 2008 in support of the motion.

Barrister Oshinowo argued that there were no disputes as to the order of the court of the 8th of November, 2007 where all parties were asked to maintain the status quo until the determination of the substantive matter pending before the court.

He said that the defendants were celebrating falsehood by denying the existence of the court's order in their counter-affidavit.

He further urged the court to bar all delegates from the state from participating at Saturday's national convention of the PDP.

In his response, counsel to the defendants, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), argued that the court should first deal with the issue of jurisdiction before thrashing out contempt of court allegation against his clients.

He held that the whole committal to prison was incompetent, saying there was no evidence before the court to show that there was a personal service on the respondents.

According to him, this is an obligation that must be fulfilled when instituting contempt proceedings against anyone.