Exco harmonisation crisis: Oyo PDP leaders give Secondus, NWC 7 days to reverse decision

LEADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have given the national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party a seven-day ultimatum to reverse their alteration of the list of the elected state executive.

In an advertorial published last week and signed by the party’s national organising secretary, Austin Akodunbu, the national secretariat submitted about six names from the state executive and substituted them with new names from the camp of one of the party’s governorship aspirant, Mr Seyi Makinde.

The decision sparked a chain of condemnations, forcing stakeholders to convene an emergency meeting at the residence of the leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, on Thursday, to appraise the development.

Rising from the meeting late on Thursday, the stakeholders were unanimous in rejecting the removal of elected officers and “purported imposition of unelected individuals.”

The stakeholders condemned the “activities of few principal officers of PDP at the zonal level acting in negative connivance with a few elements of retrogression in Oyo State PDP.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, “The stakeholders called on the National Working Committee of PDP to, as a matter of urgency: Recognise and affirm the state executives list produced by the legally and properly conducted state congress of Senator Liyel Imoke.

“NWC of PDP should within seven days rescind its decision to alter the Oyo State Executive and publish the results of November 4, 2017 state congress held at the Watershed Event Centre in Ibadan.

“Ensure that all PDP officers involved overtly and covertly in the publication of the distorted Oyo State executives list are adequately sanctioned.

“Give firm assurances to Oyo State PDP stakeholders, under the able leadership of Senator Ladoja that the party leadership will always adhere to the party’s constitution in handling the affairs of Oyo State PDP,” they said.

In attendance at the meeting was attended by Sen Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja; state executives led by the state chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha; a former Deputy Governor, Hameed Gbadamosi; Senator Gbenga Babalola; Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu; Bayo Lawal; Femi Babalola; Chief Solomon Ayansina; Barrister Sarafadeen Alli; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Chief Bisi Ilaka.

Other were Honourable Segu; Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin; local government party chairmen led by Honourable Seun Adelore; Honourable Olayemi Busari; Honourable Maroof Akinwande; Honourable Nureni Adisa; Dr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran; Mrs Kikelomo Sogbesan and many others.

Those on the controversial harmonised list of were inaugurated in at Wadat headquarters of the party in Abuja, on Monday.