* As stakeholders’ forum petitions Sheriff, others Ahead of today’s state congress, five chieftains of Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta to restrain the Chief Adebayo Dayo-led executive from conducting or superintending the supervision of all the congresses in the state. The PDP chieftains, who are claimants/applicants in an ex-parte application dated 18th April and brought before Justice Mobolaji Ojo, are Wasiu Sanni; Alhaja Nike Odutola; Mr Semiu Babatunde; Semiu Adesanya and Elder Shola Soledolu. The defendants in the suit number AB/121/2016 are: PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Dayo, and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo. The claimants predicated their objection to the Dayo-led executive on the premise that the tenure of the executive lapsed on February 27 this year, prompting the seeking of the order of the court to bar them from all the congress. They also sought an order of the court directing the PDP national leadership to appoint state caretaker committee to conduct and supervise the congresses. Part of the reliefs sought by the claimants also included an order directing the claimants and independent observers to record live proceedings of the congresses, as well as an order for substituted service of court processes on the defendants. Justice Ojo, while ruling on the application April 18 as moved by counsel for the claimants, Chief W.O Liady, granted the prayers for substituted service and the service of PDP and INEC in Abuja, within seven days, while hearing on the motion on notice was fixed for May 3. Meanwhile, a group of leaders within the party under the aegis of Stakeholders’ Forum, has petitioned the acting national chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, alleging that plans by the Dayo-led executive has compiled the list of the executives and waiting for ratification by the national body. In the three-page petition signed by Honourable Bisiriyu Popoola, Chief Iyabo Apampa, Honourable Lekan Tejuoso and 12 others, the PDP leaders said despite paying the stipulated fees for the nomination forms by their party and following all laid down procedure, the forms were not released to them. ]]>