Continue to recognise Ogundele-led Ogun PDP exco, Secondus replies INEC

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has affirmed the Honourable Sikirulai Ogundele-led state executive of the party in Ogun State as the authentic executive in the state.

The affirmation was contained in Secondu’s letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which had written the PDP leadership notifying it of its intention to recognise the Chief Bayo Dayo-led executive belonging to Senator Buruji Kashamu’s group.

In the reply date April 19, 2018, the PDP national chairman said the crisis that caused division in Ogun chapter of the party had been laid to rest in the Supreme Court judgment in the case filed by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, erstwhile factional chairman of the party.

Secondus said the congresses that produced the Ogundele-led executive were duly conducted and monitored by INEC and other stakeholders, counseling the commission to avoid being used to precipitate a fresh crisis in the party.

• Kano people want four more years for me ―Buhari

“We urge you to rescind your decision conveyed in your letter and continue to recognise our state Executive Committee in Ogun State under the chairmanship of Hon Sikirulai Ogundele which is the executive recognised by the national leadership of our party.

“It is our hope that you will not want to lend support or allow yourself to be used by any individual or group to stir up another crisis in our party as you should rather be seen to actively ensure that there is peace in the polity, especially as we approach 2019, the year of general election.

“It will therefore amount to an inexplicable volte face and unfortunate summersault if INEC were to withdraw their recognition of the approved officials of our party in Ogun State, especially the state executive committee led by Honourable Sikirulai Ogundele.

“This will certainly throw the party back into avoidable conflict. We believe this cannot be your intention and or wish for our party.

“You are well aware that it lies within the exclusive right and powers of the NEC of our party to choose who and who constitute the leaders of the appropriate organs of our party at all levels. This right and or powers have not and cannot be taken away by the court or any other institution for that matter,” Secondus said in the letter.