By Mike Adebayo, Ado-Ekiti
There is imbroglio in the Ekiti People’s Democratic party PDP over appointment of state chairman.
The pendulum soared as two groups in their capacities within the party on Monday respectfully announced the appointment of two Chairmen for the party in the state.
The state Deputy Chairman of the PDP Hon Lanre Omolase, who has also been acting as Chairman and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun were the first in a statement to announce the appointment of one Engr Alaba Agboola, as the substantive Chairman of the party in the State.
Engr Agboola who is from Ijero-Ekiti, Ijero local government area of the state according to Omolase and Ogun would replace the party’s governorship candidate in the last election, Hon Bisi Kolawole, who resigned as the State Chairman to contest the governorship.
The statement claimed that the appointment of Engr Agboola as the substantive State Chairman, was among the resolutions at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.
The statement reads: “At the Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, which held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of the Chairman (Acting) – Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022, the quorum at attendance being over and above one-third of the total membership of the Exco, 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.”
It should be recalled that Engr Agboola, was the Chairman of the Repositioning Group, a group in the Ekiti State PDP led by Senator Biodun Olujimi.
However, the state publicity secretary of the party, Hon. Raphael Adeyanju rejected the announcement saying the purported appointment emanated from former Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose and should be ignored in its totality, “since he cannot put something on nothing.”
Adeyanju therefore later in another statement announced that the State Executive Committee, (SEC) of the Ekiti Peoples’ Democratic Party has made it’s own approval with the appointment of the former Chairman, Ado LG and former 2018 Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party, Hon Deji Ogunsakin as the New State Chairman of PDP.
The announcement made by the PDP state publicity secretary on behalf of the party SEC was confirmed by letters addressed to the National Chairman of the party signed by the Ekiti state organizing secretary, Hon, Mrs Abeni Olayinka and made available to our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti and another letter by the PDP in Ogunsakin’s senatorial District – Ekiti central and signed by the senatorial secretary, Hon Ademola Alade with five local government Chairmen of the party in the district and some other SEC members.
Adeyanju said the appointment is in line with section 47, 6 of the party constitution which states that, “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”.
“The New Chairman Hon Deji Ogunsakin is from the same Central Senatorial District as the former Chairman, Hon Bisi Kolawole who resigned from the position on 23rd, Sept 2021.
“The ratification by SEC was Sequel to the nomination by 10 out of 12 members of SEC from the Central Senatorial District.”