PDP Expels Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja

The National Disciplinary Committee set up by the leadership of the Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has recommended the expulsion of Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Dr. Sam Sam Jaja.

They were suspended on November 11 for what the leadership of the party described as anti-party activities. Baraje was the national chairman of the New PDP while Jaja was his deputy. Oyinlola was the national secretary of the Baraje faction.

He, however, said he remained the national secretary of the ruling party.

Oyinlola has been at war with the leadership of the PDP over the latter's failure to reinstate him as the party's national secretary.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on November 6, ordered the PDP to reinstate him as the national secretary of the party. The party suspended him instead.

Announcing the committee's recommendation on Wednesday, Deputy Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, pronounced Baraje, Oyinlola and Jaja guilty as charged.

Babatope, who spoke on behalf of the committee however said the case of Senator Ibrahim Kazaure who was also suspended alongside the trio, had been deferred for one month. According to him, Kazaure would still have to appear before the committee on December 10 to clarify certain issues relating to his case.

The committee therefore extended his suspension by 30 days. But in a reaction on Tuesday, Oyinlola maintained that he remained the national secretary of the PDP and that his expulsion cannot stand.