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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State is back in a renewed crisis as former governor Ayodele Fayose is against some leaders of the party over the appointment of one Engr Alaba Agboola, as the substantive Chairman.
A faction of the party loyal to Fayose, had earlier announced Mr Agboola as the substantive Chairman, but other party members disagree.
The aggrieved leaders urged members to discountenance the arrangement by the Fayose group, describing it as “undemocratic”.
The opposing faction in a counter move on Monday, announced Hon. Deji Ogunsakin, as their Chairman.
Mr Ogunsakin is a former chairman of Ado Ekiti LGA.
It will be recalled that the immediate past Chairman, Bisi Kolawole, resigned after he merged as the party’s Governorship candidate for the June 18 poll.
HIs Deputy, Lanre Omolase was appointed in acting capacity to preside over the PDP pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
A statement by Omolase and made available to journalists, in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, announced Mr Agboola, who is from Ijero Ekiti, as the substantive chairman of the party in the state.
He said the appointment of Mr Agboola as the substantive State Chairman, was among the resolutions reached at the State Executive Committee meeting held, in Ado Ekiti, on Monday.
Communique signed by Omolase and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun read; “At the Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, which held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022, deliberated on the need to appoint a substantive Chairman for our Party, in accordance with the Party’s Constitution.
“Article 47(6) of the Constitution of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party, provides that: ‘Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.’
“Accordingly and in view of the resignation of our erstwhile Party Chairman, Hon Bisi Kolawole, who became our party flagbearer at the recent Ekiti State Governorship Election, the State executive committee members present deliberated on an appropriate and capable stalwart from the same zone as our erstwhile Chairman and unanimously appointed Hon. Alaba Agboola as substantive Chairman, to serve out the remainder of the tenure of our said erstwhile Chairman.
“It was also resolved that Hon. Lanre Omolase, the Chairman (Acting), should revert to his elected post as the Deputy Chairman of our party, PDP, Ekiti State, while the National officials of our great party, corporate organizations, as well as our teeming party members and the general public be immediately notified of the appointment of our new substantive Party Chairman.”
But in a counter move, a factional State Executive Committee(SEC), immediately swung into action and ratified the appointment of the former Chairman, Ado LG and former 2018 Deputy Governorship Candidate , Deji Ogunsakin, as the New State Chairman of PDP.
The party announced the appointment at its meeting in Ado Ekiti, on Monday shortly after Agboola emerged .
The PDP State Publicity Secretary, Hon Raphael Adeyanju, in a statement, said the appointment is in line with section 47(6) of the party constitution.
Adeyanju quoted the section as saying: “where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committeee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, to serve out the tenure of the officer”.
Adeyanju said the New Chairman, Hon. Ogunsakin, is from the same Central Senatorial District as the former Chairman,Kolawole, who resigned from the position on 23rd, September, 2021.
He added that the ratification by SEC was Sequel to the nomination by 10 out of 12 members of SEC from the Central Senatorial District.