The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) reared its ugly head again on Tuesday as the Deputy Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Adebayo described as illegal and unconstitutional the sack of the party’s Chairman in Ado local government, Mr Dare Olomofe, by the State Working Committee(SWC).
The party through its publicity secretary, Jackson Adebayo had on Monday announced the sacking of Mr Olomofe and two other ward chairmen who were believed to be loyalists of the former governor and leader of the party, Mr Ayodele Fayose.
The party added that it took the decision after reviewing the outcome of a 7-man disciplinary committee set up to try the estranged PDP members.
But Adebayo on Tuesday accused the State Chairman of the party, Chief Gbogega Oguntuase of circumventing the law before arriving at the suspension, he described as illegal, null and void, having allegedly trampled on the party’s Constitution.
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Speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, the Deputy Chairman, said: “I woke up this morning, Tuesday, January 28, 2020, to read on several social media platforms the story about the suspension of some members of the PDP in Ekiti State, more precisely in Ado Local Government.
“The general public should please note that the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (Ekiti State) did not call nor take such decision being circulated on social media.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our chairman is presently in Abuja to attend the 88th NEC meeting of the party held yesterday, Monday, January 27, 2020, and not yet back to Ekiti State.
“As the Deputy Chairman of the PDP in Ekiti State, the PDP constitution (2017 as amended) unequivocally empowers me to summon and preside/act in such meeting where decisions being shared/circulated on social media were taken in the absence of the chairman.
“The State Working Committee of the PDP in Ekiti State did not call /hold (not even an emergency meeting) nor take any decision on Monday, January 27, 2020, more so that the SWC statutory meeting holds every Wednesday.
“My findings clearly showed that the majority of the SWC members were not at State secretariat yesterday, January 27, 2020. That the news on the purported suspension of Dare Olomofe or any other person(s) mentioned should be disregarded accordingly”, he stated.
Adebayo added that one of the committee members, Mr Tajudeen Adeleye, had in a letter dated 27th January 2020 and addressed to the State Chairman, Barrister Oguntuase resigned from the committee, which he said rendered the committee powerless going by the dictate of the Constitution.
The letter written by Adeleye was supported by two-paragraph affidavit of facts deposed to, at the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti division.
The letter read: “Mr Chairman and distinguished members of the committee, the act, actions, atmosphere and circumstances playing out between now and the time this committee was set up is to the best of my knowledge oppressive, unfair, repugnant to good conscience, against the principles of fair hearing and wanting to soil my hands whereas my conscience is pricking me against the injustice about to be affirmed.
“Sir, from my findings, the alleged members-only adopted candidates of their choice, deemed popular and loved by the people, hence, any injustice against them will definitely further breach the peaceful co-existence among the PDPÂ Â members and as well cause uncontrollable chaos in the party if eventually carried out.
“Now that it is apparent that all-wise counsel given by me to the PDP Chairman and other disciplinary members to follow due process had been rebuffed, I use this medium to officially tender my resignation as a member of the 7-man ad hoc disciplinary committee, ” it concluded.
Adebayo said the party’s Constitution stipulated that only five or seven members can serve on an ad hoc committee and that the resignation, had rendered the committee powerless and vitiated its action.
He appealed to the leaders of the party at both national and state levels to wade into the crisis to prevent the major opposition party from being fragmented in the state.
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