The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Congress Committee in Ogun State, Deji Ogunsakin, says the election of new state party officials led by Sikirullahi Ogundele has put an end to the internal wrangling in the state chapter of PDP.
Ogunsakin, who was the PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in Ekiti State 2018 gubernatorial election, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the exercise was conducted following the directive of the National Working Committee, NWC.
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More than 2,000 delegates from across the state converged on Abeokuta and elected party officials into 39 positions during the State Congress, which brought in the Bayo Dayo-led executive.
Daily Trust reports that the Congress came more than two months after a faction of the PDP, loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu, had elected Samson Bamgbose-led executive members.
The development led into fresh legal battle between Hon Ladi Adebutu and Kashamu’s factions of Ogun PDP.
But the Congress Committee Chairman declared that the election of the new officials, who are loyal to Adebutu, stands, saying there was no court injunction against the congress.
Ogunsakin said the PDP “is now united in the state and ready to win 2023 election.”
He said: “As I’m talking to you, there’s no injunction stopping this process.
“Nobody has gone to court to stop this Congress.
“There’s no court pronouncement stopping this Congress.
“The issues within the party is a normal thing.
“99 percent of party members are still together for all I know.
“The party is still 100% together and there’s no division among us.
“Our leaders have the power to resolve any crisis and at the right time they will come together for reconciliation at the particular time.”
On his part, Dayo described the exercise as peaceful, saying the development had put an end to the crisis rocking the party.
“It is only the Congresses conducted in Ogun State by the Bayo Dayo-led executive that is legal and I am exercising the powers given to me by the court judgment of 2016.
“That’s the judgment that empowers me and my executive to be in office up to the time of this Congress.
“And to handover the result of this Congress to the NWC in Abuja,” Dayo said.
Responding, the new Chairman, who was the sole candidate at the Congress, Sikirullahi Ogundele, promised to run all inclusive administration and bring all aggrieved members together towards building a virile and united PDP ahead of 2023 election.
‘NWC-backed Congress cannot stand’
However, the faction loyal to Kashamu has described the congress as “a house built with spittle which cannot stand.”
The Chairman of the faction, Samson Bamgbose, was reacting to the state congress conducted by the National Working Committee of the PDP in the state, where 39 party officials led by Sikirullahi Ogundele, were elected.
Daily Trust reports that the congress came more than two months after a faction of the PDP loyal to Kashamu had elected Samson Bamgbose – led executive members.
The development has led into fresh legal battle between Hon Ladi Adebutu and Kashamu’s factions of Ogun PDP.
But the Chairman of the Kashamu’s faction, in a statement made available to Daily Trust in Abeokuta, described the fresh party congresses conducted in the state as “illegal.”
Bamgbose, said: “The contraption called congresses were a deliberate and criminal affront on the rule of law.
“It is even more so that they resorted to self-help and criminal contempt after they lost the suit that they filed against us at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“In the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/208/2020, they sought the permission of the court to conduct these same illegal congresses
“The Federal High Court Abuja in its judgment delivered on the 21st of July, 2020 denied them the permission and pointed out that such an exercise would be illegal in view of the previous judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/636/2016.”
Bamgbose appealed to all members of the party not to be dismayed, adding that “the congresses purportedly conducted by the defectors and fifth columnists within the party will not stand the test of time and the law.
“It is like a house built with spittle.
“It cannot stand; it will crumble like a pack of cards sooner than later.”
