Crisis in PDP deepens as Ekiti state chairman rejects NWC, set parallel excos

Emmanuel AmudaMay 1, 2020

0 3 minutes read

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has taken a more dangerous dimension as the State Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase rejected the 155 out of the 177 ward executives forward to him to inaugurate on Thursday.

Newsflash247 gathered that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had in a letter with ref no: PDP/DOM/GF.V/VOL.2/20-387B dated April 25, 2020 and signed by Col Austin Akobundu (rtd), National Organizing Secretary, ordered the state chairman of the party to inaugurate the 155 ward EXCO for the fourteen out of the sixteen local government areas of the State, where the remaining two local government areas contained 22 wards are yet to conduct their Congresses.

“After giving a careful consideration of the reports of the Electoral Committee and the Appeal Panel, has, on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, approved the said Congresses and the Executive Committees emerging therefrom.

“You are therefore by this correspondence, directed to take necessary and appropriate steps to Inaugurate the new Executive Officers in accordance with the provisions of Section 65 of our Party’s Constitution as amended in 2017” the letter stated.

“In doing this, you’re please advised to also take into proper account the provisions of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Guidelines of Covid-19 as it concerns Social Distancing and the gathering of people in one place.

“This shall be the new Exco Members at the expiration of the current Executives, i.e. April 30, 2020 for Ward, and shall hold office for a period of four (4) years pursuant to Section 47(1) of our Party’s Constitution as amended; (i.e. April 30, 2020 – April 30, 2024 for ward Executives).

“Accordingly, I hereby forward to you the authentic list of the Ward Executives for 155 out of the 177 wards of your State as contained in the attached lists of Names of Approved Ward Exco Members,” the statement added.

But the party chairman, Gboyega Oguntuwase, while addressing the press on Thursday, said that the National Chairman of the party has denied the list, hence he cannot go ahead to inaugurate the EXCO.

Oguntuwase, one of the aggrieved party members in the state.

Meanwhile, the ward executive committees of the party in Ekiti State have been inaugurated in 155 out of the 177 wards of the state.

The Ward Executive Committee members were sworn-in by a Notary Public, Barrister Niyi Idowu, in accordance with the provisions of Section 65 of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2017, would be in office for tenure of four years.

He said that the committee was inaugurated following a directive by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party in a letter dated April 25, 2020 and signed by the National Organising Secretary, Col Austin Akobundu.

“The national leadership of the party had released the approved authentic list for 155 out of the 177 wards in Ekiti State that emerged in the Ward Congresses held on March 7, 2020. The party stated that the Congresses did not hold in Gbonyin and Ekiti East local councils.

Newsflash247 gathered the report that the former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose has congratulated the newly ward Exco members.

Fayose said on a short video message sends to all followers and the newly Exco members.

Newsflash247 gathered that the aggrieved members have gone to court restraining from inaugurating the EXCO members, but source report that the court were not favoured the aggrieved members.

Source report that in the ruling, which held on Thursday, April 30, Justice Agomoh said, “I have carefully studied this application ex-parte just argued and also taken benefit of the written and oral arguments of the learned senior counsel vis a vis the reliefs sought. It is not disputed that the congresses in issue have since been concluded.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved members named Ekiti PDP Repositioning Group has set to inaugurate the newly parallel Excos in the state to counter the newly Excos approved by the National body in Abuja.

The group who made the announcement by the group media, Segun Akinwumi, that the newly ward Exco members recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should be inaugurated on Friday, May 1.