>
The South West Zonal leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned the South West stakeholders meeting hosted on Monday in Ekiti State by Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The meeting, where a vote of confidence was passed on the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, was reportedly convened by Fayose but some leaders of the party in the zone insist that the stakeholders forum does not exist in the party’s structure.
PDP elders present at the meeting with Fayose include: Ekiti deputy governor, Dr Kolapo Olusola, former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniels, Senator Iyiola Omisore, former PDP Deputy Chairman, Chief Bode George, former PDP National Vice Chairman, Mr Tajudeen Oladipo, PDP Spokesperson, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a member of the House of Representative from Ogun, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Prof Olu Agbi.
Others are: PDP Chairmen in Ogun, Chief Sikirudeen Ogundele, Ondo, Clement Faboyede, Ekiti, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, Oyo, Hon Muraina Ajibola, Lagos, Mr Moshood Salvador, Osun, Mr Bayo Faforiji, Chief Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor, Chief Paul Alabi, among others.
But in a statement issued on Monday evening, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, National Vice-Chairman, PDP, South West, said “Fayose’s action in summoning a meeting he lacks the right to call at a time when well-meaning leaders and elders are calling for restraint and reconciliation is most despicable”.
He added: “Otherwise, how do we describe his action and utterances under the guise of a non-existent and illegal South West PDP leaders forum? In what capacity did he call the meeting of South West PDP leaders? Can a Governor call a zonal PDP leaders meeting? Has he been able to call a full meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum which he purports to lead? We thank God that most of the respectable leaders of our party in the South West shunned the illegal gathering”.
According to Ogundipe, “Ordinarily, any action by a character like Governor Ayo Fayose does not deserve a response from a responsible quarter. But, for record purposes, it is important to point out that Fayose is the big shame bedeviling the PDP family, especially in the South West”
The rest of the statement reads: “It is most ridiculous that Fayose has become a slave to his inordinate ambition, and for that reason he must destroy an otherwise solid and responsible institution like the PDP. He must be reminded that he was the least qualified to be Ekiti Governor when he was foisted on the party and the people of the state. Most of those who feel for his trick of being a better and more mature person are now full of regrets.
At the height of his executive rascality, Fayose would throw every rule of the the game to the rubbish bag as long as he continues to dwell in his fool’s Paradise. He denigrates the judiciary when a judgment or ruling does not favour. Yet, this same funny character seeks succour from the same institution that he vilifies with reckless abandon. It is only an unbalanced character that switches like this.
I wish to state that Fayose, Eddy Olafeso and his co-travellers are clearly in contempt of the subsisting judgment and orders of Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division and the Federal High Court, Lagos.
While the Court of Appeal sacked the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee and set aside everything that was purportedly done at the botched 21st of May, 2016 National Convention, the Federal High Court, Lagos in a judgment delivered on the 17th of May, 2016 specifically nullified the purported zonal congress that was said to have produced Olafeso and his gang and proclaimed that the tenure of my exco remains till October, 2018.
Till date, the two judgements are valid and subsisting. No contrary order or judgment has been got. It is trite that an appeal does not operate as a stay of execution and a judgment creditor cannot be stopped from enjoying the benefit of his victory at the court.
Finally, I wish to implore our well-meaning leaders and elders not to allow Fayose to do further havoc to our Party before he takes his imminent exit. PDP is a party built on the rule of law. Therefore, all well-meaning and law abiding leaders and members should not allow an impostor to destroy its fortunes”.
SEE DETAILS OF THE FAYOSE MEETING