Police Takes Over PDP's Ekiti Secretariat

Police on Friday took over the Peoples Democratic
Party Secretariat in Ado Ekiti, as crisis rocking the
party in the State took a new twist.
Armed policemen numbering 50, one Armoured
Personnel Carrier and operational vehicles were
deployed in the Secretariat to prevent attack from
the aggrieved members of the State Working
Committee, perceived to be working against the
interest of the governor.
The State Executive Committee at its meeting
presided over by the Acting Chairman, Idowu
Faleye, suspended the factional Acting Chairman,
Mr. Tunde Olatunde; State Secretary, Tope Aluko;
Auditor, Tunji Olanrewaju; Woman Leader, Busola
Oyebode and Assistant Secretary, Mr Femi Esan.
The SEC at its Friday meeting also set up a seven-
member disciplinary committee to try the
suspended members for anti-party activities.
The members are Kolapo Kolade (Chairman),
Babade Ige, Animasaun Bamidele, Mrs Lanre Fajuyi,
Smart Adebusuyi, Dele Ajibola and Mr. Kola Lawal.
The party’s resolution was read by the State
Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, whose
appointment was also ratified by SEC.
But speaking earlier at a press briefing, Aluko, who
appeared to have got wind of the plot to suspend
them, said Faleye remained suspended and lacked
powers to preside over any SEC meeting having
resigned on May 13.
“Nobody can push me out of PDP. I have invested
so much to build the party. But if the party is
heading to implosion , then I will take my destiny
in my own hands, because nobody has the right to
my happiness more than myself.
“PDP is being run in line with the constitution of
the party. If this is the case, it came to me as a
shock that the party could come up with this
action through Jackson Adebayo and Idowu Faleye,
who have been suspended by the authentic PDP
leaders.
“Though, we owe it a duty to respect the NWC, but
for the suspended Chairman to do that, was a
deliberate attempt to destroy the party, is rather
frightening , embarrassing and also disturbing.”
Aluko told journalists in Ado Ekiti that they would
not appear before any panel set up by Faleye as
he had ceased to be the chairman.
According to him, 11 of the 14 SWC are not with
Faleye so he cannot have the quorum to take any
legal action.
He added that Faleye had not been properly
registered as a member of the PDP in his ward,
having defected from Labour Party.
“If somebody is saying the way to resolve the
issue is by suspending others, it shows Faleye is
not a core PDP member and does not know the
Constitution.
“I’m saying there is no suspension in PDP. I’m the
secretary of SEC. For you to convene the meeting
of SEC, you must give 48 hours notice. If this is
the decision of the faction, it means there is a
problem coming to PDP and we will not run from
it.
“This was how the problem started at the centre
and they thought it would not make impact and
now it has made impact,” he said.