Ekiti PDP crisis: Olujimi backs caretaker committee, solicits fairness

The Lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Biodun Olujimi has backed the newly constituted caretaker committee for the Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The party’s National Working Committee had last week constituted a seven-man caretaker committee following the expiration of the tenure of the Gboyega Oguntuwase led State Working Committee and the inability of the party to conduct the State congress scheduled for April 1st owing to the controversy trailing its ward congress and outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

The caretaker committee is chaired by a former Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Hosea Agboola to oversee the affairs of the party until a new executive is elected, for a period, not more than 90 days.

Speaking in a telephone chat with Tribune Online on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Olujimi said the development was necessary to prevent a vacuum in the running of the party in the state.

According to Olujimi, “The NWC has not committed any infractions for constituting a caretaker committee to manage the affairs of the party. They only acted based on the dictates of the party constitution and this was done to prevent a vacuum.

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“I believe the committee will cease to exist as soon as validly recognised congresses are conducted.”

Olujimi urged the caretaker committee to ensure that equity fairness and inclusiveness manifest in its operation and conduct.

Senator Olujimi added that the best that can be done at the moment is to ensure a level playing field for all party’s member in the running of the party’s affairs.

The PDP Chieftain said she held no grudges against anybody but only wanted to end the era of impunity in the party by reforming the state chapter in such a way that the principles of internal democracy, which, according to her, forms a critical part of the ideals of PDP, would be observed.

She insisted that the ward executives inaugurated by her remain the authentic officials of the party, vowing to frustrate plots by ‘some spoilers’ to thwart the dream of the party forming the next government in the state come 2022.

Olujimi, however, advised the NWC to initiate a genuine peace-strategy to salvage the soul of the party and its architectural structure from collapse by reconciling aggrieved party’s members, rather than taking sides in the crisis embroiling the Ekiti PDP.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE