. He was never our executive member, he is a miscreant- party chairman
From KEHINDE ADEWOLE, Ado-Ekiti
There are strong indications that more trouble awaits the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State as another Executive member has began a fresh war against the state chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase by resigning from a disciplinary committee of the party and accused the party boss of mounting undue pressure on him.
This was also followed by an endorsement of a chieftain of the party, Bisi Kolawole, by the Loyalists of ex-governror Ayo Fayose as preferred chairmanship candidate for the forthcoming Congress of the party in the state.
Oguntuase, who has denied allegations against him, is seeking a second term as chairman of the party in the state but he has been having a running battle with chieftains and some leaders of the party who alleged that he has committed gross misconduct.
Legal officer of the party, Sunday Olowolafe has had u resolved issues with the state chairman, and the crisis was on Monday heightened by the resignation of another
member of the party’s Disciplinary Committee, Alhaji Tajudeen Adeleye who has alleged that Oguntuase has been putting on due pressure on him.
Alhaji Adeleye, in a letter dated January 27, 2020, addressed to the PDP chairman and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said pressure was mounted on him over the weekend to adopt the predetermined report of the committee, indicting some party faithful.
The Ademuagun Stephen-led Disciplinary Committee was set up to ostensibly suspend some party members in Ado Ekiti, including the Local Government Party Chairman, Mr Yinka Olomofe.
The letter reads in part: “Please note, as a party faithful with high regards for the tenet of rule of law, taking into consideration the principle of natural justice, it will be awkward for the Committee and at least for me to continue to participate in such Committee primarily and purposely set up to carry out hatchet job targeted against some persons contrary to the Party Constitution(2017 as amended).
“The pressure mounted by Barrister Oguntuwase through Ademuagun Stephen (Chairman, Disciplinary Committee) on the Committee members via repeated calls and personal visitation to me in order to participate and adopt the predetermined report indicting party faithful over the weekend whereas the alleged party members’ are yet to be aware of their wrong doing (not notified, invited, served and/or summoned in writing) is improper.
“Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Disciplinary Committee, the act, actions, atmosphere and circumstances playing out between the day the Committee was inaugurated till date is to the best of my knowledge oppressive, unfair, repugnant to good conscience, against the principles of fair hearing and wanting to soil my hand whereas my conscience is pricking me against the injustice about to be affirmed.
“Sir, from my inquiries, the alleged members only adopted candidates of their choice, being popular and well-loved by the people, hence, any injustice against them will definitely further breach the peaceful co-existence of PDP members and as well cause uncontrollable chaos in the party if eventually carried out.
“Now that it apparent that all wise counsel given by me to the PDP Chairman- Barrister Gboyega Oguntuwase and other Disciplinary Committee 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. “
Reacting, Oguntuase said Tajudeen is a miscreant who is merely working for some interest. He added that Tajudeen was never a member of the committee he claimed to be resigning from.
His words: “I don’t want to talk about what the miscreanty is talking about. I am the chairman and everybody is free to talk about me both what is true and lies but, God will judge. I don’t know him personally. I don’t have his number. I am in Abuja as I speak now. When I was swearing in people l, he was not there, how will I know him? When you have five people out of seven already the committee has been formed. Why do I have to put pressure on him. I am not aware of what you have just said now. He is just speaking because they are inducing him to accuse me. I am fighting against those who have stolen the people’s secretariat, because it is not a Kid’s job, some people would want to fight me, instigate people against me, even if they had opportunity they would have loved to remove me. I am fighting against a battle that God is the leader.”
