Lagos PDP expels defectors

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s candidature by the party-led government in Osun State.

In the same breath, the opposition party faulted the action of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and prominent members of the PDP who recently dumped the party for the coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC).

It would be recalled that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, had recently declared the decision of the PDP stakeholders in the state to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) sole candidature of Tinubu in 2027 ahead of the state governorship election.

But during a media briefing yesterday in Kano, PDP Chairman in the state, Yusuf Ado Kibiya, considered the decision of the PDP in Osun State as gross disregard for the party’s constitution, which should be discouraged.

Kibiya, while fielding questions on whether the party has a similar plan to toe the line of their Osun State counterpart, insisted that the PDP in Kano would not subject its conscience to ridicule. He reaffirmed members and stakeholders’ strong commitment to the ideal of PDP in Kano just as he vowed to resist any attempt to undermine the party in the state.

The party chairman categorically described top PDP members who recently decamped to the ADC as selfish individuals who are more interested in personal interest rather than serving the public.

Kibiya, who considered the former PDP chieftains as betrayals of trust, regretted that the majority of the coalition ADC members had ‘shamelessly’ departed ways with the party that brought them to the limelight.

The PDP leader, who queried the fiscal responsibility of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on health, education, infrastructure and social wellbeing of the Kano State residents, challenged the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) administration to explain its budgetary allocation and performance for public assessment.

IN another development, members of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP that recently defected to the ADC have been expelled from the party. The expulsion was announced yesterday by Spokesman of the Elders Caucus and Chairman of the party in the 20 local councils, Segun Edwards.

According to him, stakeholders, made up of elders and chairmen of the party in the 20 local councils of the state, called a meeting to discuss the outcome of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja last week. Edwards said that members of the party, who openly aligned with the ADC, had been expelled from the party forthwith.

This decision and other resolutions, which include the directives to the local council chairmen to commence preparations for the planned various congresses of the party, from local council to the national convention, scheduled for between September and November this year, were taken at the stakeholders’ meeting.

The party elders and council chairmen frowned on the decision of some members to have openly aligned themselves with the ADC, stating that they desecrated the principles of the party by so doing while still being members of the PDP.