Ogun PDP Crisis Deepens

By Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta

The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has taken another dimension as the parallel exco, known as Elders’ Forum, under the chairmanship of Chief Semiu Sodipo, is set to open another party secretariat.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS this morning, the Publicity Secretary of the Elders’ Forum, Chief Babatunde Fadun, described the allegation levelled against them as baseless and irrelevant. He was reacting to the interview granted by Prince Yanju Lipede, Chairman, Abeokuta South Local Government on Channels Television yesterday. The council boss, in the interview had described Fadun as an unpopular politician who is not a ward exco member.

According to Fadun: “What the council boss said is not correct. Who is he by the way? He is Daniel’s  puppet. Daniel planted him there to foment trouble. He has no good plan for the people. All what he is doing is to disrupt the programmes that the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, may have for the people.

“You  would  have heard, in the past, how he had stopped the Speaker from doing many things for his people. He says that permission should be sought from him before anything could be done. My brother, is it compulsory that one should seek the permission of the council boss before one can do anything for his people?” he asked.

The publicity Secretary described the Joju Fadairo-led executive as illegal and unpopular in the state. He asserted that at the convention held in 2008, the executive members had been rejected then but they imposed themselves with the backing of the governor.

“We know all the gimmicks. It is part of political intimidation we have in the state. Who is Kalejaye in Ogun politics? He was a journalist sometime ago. The governor brought him to the party and created a non-existent portfolio for him. They are all playing to gallery to satisfy their boss, who is the governor.

“We have not yet commissioned the secretariat, and they are panicking. They know that immediately we open it, they will have no more recognition. There is no credible leader among them. But let me state this clearly, we heard that they are planning to lock up the secretariat, they should not try it,” he warned.

The parallel exco has been a thorn in the flesh of the Joju Fadairo-led PDP Executive in the state.

The Elders’ Forum has  concluded plans to commission the new PDP secretariat in the state. The Secretariat is located opposite Korede Hospital, Onikolobo, Abeokuta.