Indications emerged yesterday that the newly elected members of the
State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti
may have been sacked; composition of a new State Working Committee
(SWC) through a fresh congress recommended, and it will take place
soon.
After considering petitions filed by aggrieved candidates, including
one of the Chairmanship candidates, Mr. Akin Omole, the Mrs Romoke Edu
Ogunlana-led Appeal Committee set up by the party to look into
complaints arising from the Sunday, March 18, 2012 congress, faulted
the congress and recommended cancellation of the exercise.
The Appeal Committee, which concluded its sittings last Tuesday,
submitted its report to the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja
on Wednesday, March 21.
The four-paged report, which was signed by the panel chairman, Mrs
Ogundala, Secretary, Mr Humphrey Ohagwa and member, Mr Festus Agbo,
with their telephone numbers included.
The report read in part; “The crux of the matter was that out of the
16 local government areas, two local government areas of Emure and
Ekiti South West had lists of delegates from the National Secretariat
different from the ones with the transition committee who handled the
election at that level. At the end of the day, the two lists were
purportedly harmonized which gave way for the election to be partially
held.
“Obviously, there were two major factions, one led by the former
Governor Engr. Segun Oni and the other led by the Minister for Police
Affairs, Captain Caleb Olubolade. Amidst these protests, accreditation
was concluded and election supposedly carried out.
“However, there were agitation on the purported harmonized list of
delegates for Emure Local Government Area in which some authentic
delegates who were duly elected at the local government congress were
illegally replaced from the list and disenfranchised. This
harmonization was not also equitably handled which gave way to the
ugly situation that ensued.
“In view of this, the election was to the best of our knowledge and
understanding not the true reflection of the mandate of the entire
people of Ekiti State PDP. For only one faction to occupy the entire
executive position with the other abandoned implies that the other
faction is not wanted in PDP and therefore it can never be a
successful election. Attached are copies of petitions arising
there from.”
“In the light of this, it is the opinion of the Appeal committee that
the party sets up a true harmonisation committee drawn from members of
the incoming National Working Committee (NWC) to share the positions
among the two factions in order to have a solid, compact and
formidable PDP to beat in Ekiti State instead of subjecting them to
another contest.”
It would be recalled that on the March 18, 2012 Congress, Chief
Makanjuola Ogundipe polled 318 votes to defeat Akin Omole, who polled
310 votes. Omole had protested the election result, calling for a
recount of the votes but the Chairman of the Congress Monitoring
Committee sent by the National Working Committee (NWC), Abuja, Alhaji
Ganiyu Olododo declined.
Omole subsequently walked out of the Congress venue with his
supporters, while the elections into other offices were held
thereafter.
In his petition to the Appeal Committee, Omole had alleged that lists
of delegate for Emure Local Government was doctored, with 14 out of
the real delegates disenfranchised.
Omole, who attached sworn affidavits by the 14 delegates, whose names
were removed from the delegate list, letter from the Acting State
Chairman of the PDP alleged that “instead of the delegate lists that
emanated from the Ward and Local Government Congresses, and duly
endorsed by the State Transition, Reconciliation and Congress
Committee (TRCC), and also displayed at the party secretariat,
handwriting delegate lists for Emure Local Government was used.
“Protest by the original delegates from Emure Local Government was
overruled by Alhaji Olododo-led Congress Monitoring Committee from
Abuja.”
Also, he (Omole) alleged that delegate list from Irepodun/Ifelodun
Local Government was fraught with irregularities, with former members
of the Labour Party (LP) that recently decamped to the PDP allowed to
vote as delegates without first getting waiver from the State Working
Committee (SWC).
“Former governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose who recently decamped to the PDP
from LP is yet to be accepted into the party (PDP) by the NWC. Yet, he
was allowed to vote as an automatic delegate,” Omole said.
Three days after the Congress, the immediate past Southwest Zonal
Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo also placed a newspaper
advert, disclaiming Fayose’s membership of the party. He said he
(Fayose) was yet to fulfil Articles 8:9 and 17:g of the party’s
Constitution.
The Ogunlana-led Appeal Committee has however sealed the hope of
remaining in office by those elected in the congress.
In its recommendation, the panel said; “A cursory study of the
foregoing will make any lover of PDP in Ekiti State to suggest that
for this party to move forward cohesively and win election, all
factions must be brought together. Should this election stay, it will
be a house divided against itself which our opponents will always
capitalise on.”
