The Ondo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing an imminent crisis after the suspended party chairman, Olaide Ibraheem, issued a 14-day ultimatum for reinstatement.

Ibraheem, who threatened legal action against the party’s national leadership over his suspension, stated that he was elected as the state chairman of the party through a duly conducted state congress held on October 7, 2020, in line with the stipulations of the electoral act.

While disclosing that Congress has not been held in the state since his election to office, the suspended chairman said that he solely financed the party’s activities, adding that there were no political office-holders or subventions to support the party during his tenure.

Ibraheem, who described his removal from office as unconstitutional, emphasised that it violated the principle of party supremacy as provided in Article 2 of the party’s constitution.

He said, “The ADC constitution does not empower the National Chairman to remove a duly elected state chairman.”

On why he’s just calling for his reinstatement, Ibraheem said he had to delay making the issue public in the hope that well-meaning elders of the party would persuade the national chairman to reverse “the mistake”.

“But unfortunately, the mistake was not corrected by the leadership of the party.”

He said that the party’s national leadership, by that singular act, ignored Article 18 of the constitution by failing to convene any congress before taking actions capable of throwing the Ondo State chapter into crisis.

He therefore warned that failure to reinstate him, alongside the state and local government executives removed within 14 days, would compel them to seek redress in court.

Ibraheem asked the party’s national leadership to urgently take corrective measures to restore constitutional order and prevent an internal crisis within the party in the state.