With about four months until the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, crisis is currently rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the disagreement of the party with its gubernatorial candidate, Agboola Ajayi, over the constitution of the campaign council in the state.
The party, on Monday, frowned at the announcement of some leaders of the party as members of the campaign council by Ajayi without recourse to the party.
The spokesperson to the party’s standard-bearer, Samuel Ogunmusi, disclosed that the former National Vice Chairman (South West) of the party, Eddy Olafeso, will serve as the Chairman of Ajayi’s campaign council, while the former chairman in the state, Clement Faboyede, was appointed as the campaign’s Director General, John Ola-Mafo, Director General (Special Duties), and Deji Aseniserare was appointed as Secretary of the Campaign Council.
Infuriated by the development, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, decried the development as embarrassing.
Peretei, in a statement made available to The Guardian, said the announcement of the purported campaign council negates the constitution of the party.
He said: “The announcement by one Samuel Ogunmusi appointing persons to coordinate the campaigns of H.E. Agboola Ajayi for the November election is not only embarrassing but a violation of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended).
“Articles 46(1) and 40(1)(a)(b) and (c) do not permit such announcements coming from individuals not known to the party. To such an extent, all the supposed announcements are null, void, and of no effect.
“Our party is an organised party guided by the rule of law. At the appropriate time, appointments for the Local Campaign Council will be made public.”
Meanwhile, the party also revealed that since the demise of its erstwhile chairman, the late Fatai Adams, a substantive chairman was yet to emerge.
Peretei said: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter wishes to state that no state chairman has been elected to replace the former chairman, Alhaji Fatai Adams.
“The PDP Constitution 2017, as amended, has unambiguous provisions for the replacement of officers due to death or removal. Article 47(6) of our Constitution is very clear.
“Therefore, the purported congratulatory message, which has no author, is fake, baseless, unconstitutional, and crafted to create problems where there are none.
“The fake congratulatory message is mutinous and a calculated attempt to undermine efforts at rallying support for the PDP governorship candidate, H.E. Agboola Ajayi, at the November election.
“The tenure of the present State Executive Committee of the party expires on August 3, 2024; those who are desirous of assuming responsibilities for party positions are advised to wait accordingly.”
