The governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Jimi Lawal, has denied forging the delegates’ list ahead the party’s primary election in the state.
Lawal, who recently won a rescheduled court-ordered primary election, said there was no way he could forge a list while the Independent National Election (INEC) monitored the election throughout the wards of the state.
Recently, the former member of the House of Representatives, Ladi Adebutu’s camp, announced that it has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged forgery of delegates list against INEC officials and Lawal.
However, Lawal, in his response to the petition to the anti-graft agency by his lawyer, Deji Enisenyin, on Wednesday, denied forging the delegates’ list, adding that the delegates that emerged during the delegate congress were not statutory delegates.
He stated: “Our services have been retained as a firm of Solicitors by Otunba Jimi Lawal, (hereinafter referred to as our Client) and on his behalf we communicate this letter to you.
“Our Client’s attention has been drawn to two petitions written by a lawyer for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on the one hand, affirming- among other things- that our client forged a delegate result to be used in the Ogun State PDP governorship primary election.
“The content of the said letter also has it that the document were forged and a counterfeit document produced by our Client’s hideous agenda to deceive/manipulate etc.
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“Our client is of the belief that considering the years of service of the INEC officials involved, both of them knew for sure that the purported delegate result presented by Mr. Jimi Lawal was forged, but still went ahead to collect, transmit and officially acknowledge the same document with reckless impunity.
“Counsel to PDP on the other hand further wrote to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asserting among other things that ‘…a deliberate and criminal suppression of the PDP 2022 authentic delegate result list with a view to fraudulently substitute the original document with an unlawful delegate result…’ the letters referred to above have been written at the instance of the PDP and former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Ladi Adebutu in a bid to divert the attention of the three government agencies and the general public from the truth and reality on ground.
“Our Client denies ever involving in perjury, forgery, colluding or inducing public officials (INEC officials).
“The immediate reaction of our client to the letters is that the PDP and Mr Ladi Adebutu are beginning to see reality that they can run but cannot hide in view of the cogent and the verifiable evidence on the issues at hand.
“As confirmed by the PDP’s lawyer in the letter dated 27th of October, 2022 to the Chairman of INEC, the issue of the party governorship primary election was a subject of litigation in a suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/—/2022 between Otunba Jimi Lawal v. Peoples Democratic Party; Mr. Ladi Adebutu and Independent National Electoral Commission and suit number FHC/AB/CS/87/2022 between Olabode Taiwo Idris & 2ors v. Peoples Democratic Party and 6 ors.”
“The two cases mentioned above are presently on appeal before the appellate Courts at different stages, there is therefore no essence to comment on them. It is elementary knowledge that once litigants have submitted their grievances to a Court of competent jurisdiction, the issues so submitted before the Court becomes subjudice for all intent and purposes. So, why comment on it?
“Our Client has however considered it necessary to make a rejection to the malicious letters cum publication to the reasonable members of the public not to fall victim of the false information,” the letter partly read.
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