The suspension of Mrs Adetola Kadiri, mother of the impeached Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House Assembly has split the camp of Governor Dapo Abiodun within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress.
Kadiri representing Ijebu North II State Constituency was impeached as the Deputy Speaker over alleged gross misconduct in March 2021.
Ortom to Buhari: Benue not enjoying your government
2023: We are at a delicate point, Atiku warns ethnic nationalities
His removal was attributed to the internal wrangling within the ranks of APC leadership in the local government.
But the crisis took another dimension on Tuesday with the suspension of the lawmaker’s mother and three others for alleged anti-party activities.
Others affected by the suspension are, Hon. Sola Jaiyeola, Hon. Rasaq Adesina(Councillor) and Mr. S.O. Bude.
Mrs Kadiri who was former women leader for APC Ogun East senatorial district was suspended with immediate effect by the party for alleged anti-party activities.
Mrs Kadiri also identified as Iya Maba was suspended by the leadership of Ward 09 in Ifelodun constituency, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state and the suspension was affirmed by the Ward Congress.
The suspension letter addressed to Mrs Kadiri, dated January 14 was jointly signed by one Sesan Araba and Ms Yetunde Adebayo, who identified themselves as the Chairman and Secretary of Ward 9, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state respectively.
But, the suspension has created cracks within Abiodun’s camp with the former deputy speaker’s mother, accusing the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, as the brain behind the purported suspension.
In an interview with newsmen, Mrs Kadiri described the letter as a slap on her face, saying the governor through the SSG have claimed innocence of the letter.
Mrs Kadiri, “To my surprise, on Tuesday, someone called me that I have a letter from the post office. At first, I rejected it, thinking it might be a time bomb. But, later, I received it.
“After reading the letter, I called the SSG, he denied any knowledge of it. He told me to scan the letter and send it to him, which I did. I sent it to the governor, the party chairman, Hon. Dare and Oladunjoye.
She continued, “Later in the evening, the SSG called to appeal to me, saying what they did was bad. He said those he has in Ward 9 said they didn’t know anything about the letter. He called me to plead with me on Wednesday morning too, adding that the governor had ordered that the letter be reversed. I said it can’t be reversed again; it has gone viral already.
“I told him that with my position in the party, this is a big slap on me! I’ve been in politics more than 50 years ago. The SSG said he would send the party chairman to my house, I said I would disgrace him. He said he would come himself, I told him not to come to my house.”
She denied knowing Araba as the Ward Chairman, saying the suspended Jaiyeola was the one elected in the presence of the SSG and other party leaders.
Speaking, Jaiyeola said he was the duly elected Chairman, wondering how Araba, could be the one announcing his suspension from the party.
The acclaimed Chairman, Araba, who signed the letter, said he was not the one who wrote the same.
“I didn’t write the letter. It was the Ward that wrote it. I signed it because I am the Chairman of that Ward. The Ward wrote the letter and gave it to me. Yes, they (Mrs Kadiri and others) engaged in anti-party activities. I can’t tell you the activities they engaged in on phone. If you want to know, come to Ward 9, the Ward will explain. Yes, I am the Chairman, but there was a committee that wrote the letter. I am not a member of that committee. I only signed,” he explained.
Also, Ms Yetunde Adebayo, who signed the letter alongside Araba as the Secretary, said “I am the Secretary, the Ward told me to sign and I did. As the Secretary, I only signed, I didn’t write the letter.
“The Ward members were even fighting the Chairman. They said we wanted to betray them. They said all their entitlements were eluding them, saying we are like ‘Figure 8’. We didn’t write the letter, we only signed.”
Efforts to get the Secretary to the Ogun State Governor, Tokunbo Talabi’s reaction proved abortive as he neither picked up his calls nor respond to the text message sent to his phone.
When contacted, the State Publicity Secretary of APC, Tunde Oladunjoye said the suspension has not been communicated to the state leadership of the party.
“There is a process to it. I read in the media that some party members have been suspended. When time such thing happens, the ward officials would have to notify the state executives. So until that is done I cannot comment on the development,” he said.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
