The nine State Working Committee, SWC, members of the People’s Democratic Party in Ondo State and the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party have disagreed on the suspension of the state chairman, Fatai Adams, over alleged anti-party activities.
While the NWC described the suspension as null and void, the SWC insisted that the suspension is valid.
Following the suspension, the NWC, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, declared the “said suspension as null and void and of no effect.”
Ologunagba said that “the NWC declares the said suspension null and void and of no effect, not being consistent with provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down rules.
“For emphasis, no State Working Committee has the power whatsoever to contemplate or suspend a State Chairman without due recourse to the National Working Committee as provided by the constitution of the PDP.
“The PDP is an organised political party governed by strict adherence to the provisions of its Constitution and Rules and will not allow any individual or group at any level to violate its Constitution and Rules.
The NWC cautions those involved in this illegal act in defiance of the PDP Constitution to retrace their steps, as the NWC will not hesitate to take appropriate disciplinary or punitive actions to preserve the stability of our party and the sanctity of our Constitution and Rules.
The NWC states that Mr Fatai Adams remains the Chairman of the Ondo State Chapter of the PDP and charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, members, and supporters of our party in Ondo State and the nation to disregard the purported suspension.
The NWC enjoins all party members in Ondo State to remain united and continue to work together in the overall interest of our party and the people.
But in a swift response, the SWC members, through the party’s state publicity secretary, Kennedy Peretei, said they’re embarrassed by the statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
Peretei stated that Ologunagba’s opinion “about developments in the party in Ondo State is contrary to PDP Constitution as amended.
The statement by the Ondo SEC members reads, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter is embarrassed by the statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of our great party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, whose opinion about developments in the party in Ondo State is contrary to the PDP Constitution as amended.
For the record, all levels of the party have the power to discipline erring members of their executive, whether at the ward, local government, state, or zonal levels.
“The State Chairman, Fatai Adams, is a member of the State Working Committee and can therefore be sanctioned in the face of his activities with flagrant disregard for SWC decisions.
“To this end, the suspension of Fatai Adams stays.
“Unfortunately, Hon Ologunagba, who is from Ondo State, appears not to have up-to-date information about the party in Ondo State. If he had, he would have been the last person to issue such a misleading statement.
Nine out of the eleven State Working Committee (SWC) members signed the suspension letter.
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That alone is a confirmation that Fatai Adams has overstayed his usefulness as State Chairman.
“Finally, we wish to reiterate that, by the provisions of our Constitution, every level of the party can discipline any officer of the party at that level.
Peretei declared that “Ologunagba’s personal opinion should not be misconstrued as the provisions of our Constitution.
