Power Tussle: Ogun PDP Faction Expels Former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Others

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has expelled the former governor of the state, Mr Gbenga Daniel and two others for alleged anti-party activities.

Their expulsion was announced on Saturday by a faction of the party led by Mr Bayo Dayo.

This comes a day after the now sanctioned faction, led by Sikirulai Ogundele, hadsuspended Mr Dayo, a Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district in the Senate, Buruji Kashamu and seven others, by a faction-led by Sikirulai Ogundele.

A
Others suspended were Semiu Shodipo, Mr Pegba Otemolu, Mr Fatai Adeyanju, Mr Segun Seriki, Daisi Akitan and Bowale Solaja.

But in a swift reaction to the sanction, Mr Dayo’s faction expelled Mr Daniel, Mr Sikirulai Ogundele, Honourable Ladi Adebutu, a member of the Federal House of Representatives and Mr Tolu Bankole, factional secretary of the party in the state, in the latest decision of the state executive members of the faction.

Announcing the expulsion order at a press conference in Abeokuta on Saturday, the factional chairman said the decision was reached after a meeting of the state executive members of the party, where the need to enforce party discipline among members of the party in the state was emphasised.

Mr Dayo described his suspension as a contempt of the court, insisting that his faction of the party in the state remained authentic and recognised by the court and national leadership of the party.

“These people elevated their shenanigans two days ago when they met at their hotel and issued a statement purportedly suspending respected leaders of the party which include myself, a Senator and a member of the State legislature among others.

“We consider this action as highly unacceptable, ridiculous, preposterous and an affront on constituted authority of the party in Ogun state. They have indeed bitten more than they can chew and they must pay dearly for this high indiscretion,” he stated

The factional chairman further claimed that the tenure of his faction of the party would elapse in 2020.

A
He said: ”Gentlemen of the press, the State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun state under my leadership met this morning to look into developing issues as it affects the interest of our party.

“You all are aware of the challenges we have contended with since our executive was elected and inaugurated in March this year. Chief among this challenges have been the division caused by the emergence of an imaginary parallel state executive being championed by Sikirulai Ogundele and some other misguided people.

“Consequently, the State Executive Committee have examined their actions and concluded that it continually inimical to the sustenance and progress of the PDP in Ogun state. We shall not allow them destroy our party before migrating to another one. We therefore resolve as follows: That Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, Sikirulai Ogundele and Tolu Bankole are guilty of acts of insubordination, wilful undermining of the party, anti-party activities, malicious damage to party infrastructures, physical harm to party officials and impersonation.

“They are hereby expelled from the party and cease to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State and the entire Federation.
The General public is hereby notified”.

Mr Dayo further told reporters that this faction of the party remained authentic and recognised by the law.

“Let me also at this juncture state inter alia that there are no two state executives in Ogun State. All relevant reports, statutory agencies, judicial pronouncements and PDP national secretariat have all resolved the authenticity of Ogun State executive and affirmatively in our favour.

“Consequently, it follows to say that Sikirulai and his cohorts are interlopers and impostors seeking to grab what does not belong to them,” he explained.

Quoting relevant sections of the party’s constitution, Mr Dayo maintained that the Sikirulai Ogundele-led faction had no right to suspend him and others.

He said: “It is again important we state a few facts to appropriately anchor our resolution. In the first instance, Sikirulai and his friends lack the locus to suspend any one because they have no authority or legal basis to act.

“An illusory, imaginary and non-existent executive cannot repudiate a constitutionally elected executive.

A
“We do not even need to remind them that Section 57, sub-section 7 of our constitution does not grant a state executive committee the power to discipline any member of NEC which the senator and myself are members of. So they are again ignorant and uninformed”.