The PDP chieftain in a statement made available to journalists said the party is being torn apart by the activities of Lawyers and rebellious elements. According to Ogundipe, the judgment of the Court of Appeal which restored Mr. Eyitayo Jegede as the party’s candidate in the Ondo State governorship race was a result of a misrepresentation of facts. He said, “These lawyers intentionally did not present all the facts of the case that was tried at the Federal High Court to the Hon. Justice Ibrahim Saulawa-led panel of the Court of Appeal. They hijacked and rushed proceedings at hearing, making it impossible for Prince Biyi Poroye’s lawyers to present their arguments. “The judges who obviously worked with the arguments that were presented before them were so deftly manipulated that they did not have the opportunity to enter into the details of the matter before them as well as details of the case that was tried at the lower court. “Thus to get redress, Prince Poroye and his team filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court stating their dissatisfaction with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja. He added that, “The first error that they sought redress for was the fact that the justices of the Court of Appeal failed to consider from the affidavit evidence before it that appellants had been elected as officers of the Executive Committee of the PDP in their respective states at state congresses of the party held in their respective states on the 10th of May 2016, prior to the appointment of Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ben Obi as chairman and secretary respectively of the National Caretaker Committee on the 21st of May, 2016.” According to him, the panel erred because it still granted their prayer to be joined as respondents in a case, acting in flagrant disregard for the fact that the National Executive Committee of the party had already resolved to accept and recognize the Prince Biyi Poroye’s led executive as the legal executive of the party in the state. He also accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his cohorts of twisting the facts and propagating lies to justify their mischief and curry sympathy. “The good people of Ondo State have once again reaffirmed that the electorate is the cornerstone of our democracy. Our democracy has a good chance of surviving and defeating the shenanigans of Dr. Mimiko and his cohorts all over this country. Our democracy is capable of defending itself and preserving its essence. “Today, Nigerians seem to have accommodated and adapted to a crises-ridden PDP. People are now apt at talking about factions that should not exist. But, this seemingly intractable crisis began as a ripple in the South West zone of the party.” Ogundipe said the crisis remained unresolved because,” the state governor suddenly became too big for his shoes and began arrogating to himself power and rights that were not his. He began usurping the rights of others in pursuit of a distant ambition that he had no business nursing.”]]>