By Raymond Osho
ABEOKUTA: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state have accused its National Chairman, Uche Secondus of being the mastermind behind crisis rocking the party in the state.
The factional Chairman of the Party in the state, Chief Bayo Dayo made this known during a press briefing held at the party Secretariat in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Thursday, February 27, 2020.
It would be recalled that crisis has been rocking the party prior to the last general election in the state tearing the party into two factions, both led by a former Senator in Ogun East, Senator Buruji Kashamu and the gubernatorial aspirant of the party, Ladi Adebutu respectively.
Kashamu’s faction holds the ace of the party during the last general election in the state owing to a Supreme Court judgement that recognised his faction of the party.
However, the party’s Constitution (Section 25, sub 3) noted that the state executive has been saddled with the responsibility to conduct congresses.
Speaking on the involvement of the national leadership of the party in the Ogun state PDP crisis, Dayo accused Secondus of “being interested only in monthly dollar largesse” and not peace of PDP in the state.
His words, ” For instance, Bolaji Adeniji is a complete gentleman, when he was leaving PDP he wrote a resignation letter and submitted it to us, Akinhintan, Sunday Odunjo among others that were taken to Abuja are not our members they have all resigned except for Semiu Sodipo who was our secretary before his suspension.
“The state executive committee here in the state are only 27 and we have 20 local government Chairmen here with us making us 47. If two people are now grumbling what does that have to do with 20 local government and 27 executives members that I am representing?
“We also have the 236 ward executives with us, their names are here and those are the people that I am representing. So two to three people can’t just go to somewhere to make money to eat because they are hungry. Yes, they are only interested in monthly dollars and not the peace of Ogun PDP.
“For the meeting held in Abuja , we are not part of it. Our former secretary who was present their has been suspended before now, but we have been tackling that in-house and that is why we haven’t told you people”.
When asked if the national secretariat is aware of the suspension of the Ogun state PDP secretary, Dayo said, “The National secretariat doesn’t go through letters. For all the letters that has been given to them they don’t go through them. But they knew that we have suspended our secretary, Semiu Sodipo.
“It is just a bread and butter politics that they have been playing, that’s what has been going on, otherwise, they said they don’t recognise Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led executive, but they recognise the Sikirulahi Ogundele’s exco, and a man now came to them as the secretary of Engr. Adebayo Dayo executive and they are now telling everybody that, he is the state secretary! What rationale is behind that?”
“They are aware of what is happening and if care is not taken, they will be taken to court for contempt of court at the end of the day.
“I will give you (press men) a copy of the letter I wrote to our national secretariat and you will know if we have been law abiding or not. For me I have concluded my assignment having served the party for eight years, but it won’t be concluded until I handover to the new executives and that I will do by God’s grace.”