Gov Makinde Kicks Against Suspension Of S’West PDP Chairman

Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, has said the suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party Caretaker Chairman in the South-West, Dayo Ogungbenro by seven out of 12 members of the zonal caretaker committee of the party is illegal.

Makinde said this while speaking with journalists on Thursday after the meeting of the Zonal Working Committee held at the Oyo State Government House, Ibadan.

Recall that seven out of the 12 caretaker committee members had on Monday announced the suspension of Ogungbenro. They accused the embattled chairman of negligence of duty, saying he had not call a meeting since he was appointed.

They said the party participated in the Ondo State governorship election as well as the bye-elections in Lagos State but Ogungbenro did not call any meeting to plan how to strategise for the polls. They vowed never to work with him.

But the governor, who is the leader of the party in the zone overruled them, saying the members lacked such power and they did not have the required number to do so if they wanted to follow the party’s constitution.

Makinde also said the reconciliation committee headed by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola which the caretaker committee said was not known to the party should continue with their assignment to unite the party in the South-West.

Makinde said, “They don’t have the power to suspend the chairman. Even if you go constitutional, you know, five out of 12 is more than 45 per cent. So, let’s even say they want to follow the constitution, you will need at least two-thirds by the constitution of the party. And two-thirds of 12 is eight.

“So, they don’t have that power and I am speaking now as the only governor of PDP in the South-West, the national leadership will respect my position on such matters.”

The governor said the leader who was responsible for the crisis within the party in the region have been identified. He, however did not mention the person.

Makinde said, “They told me that one of our leaders has been the major individual causing trouble in the South-West ( PDP) and we deliberated to ask why that is so; and we said maybe because of the EFCC case or something like that.

“I said that shouldn’t be, because it is better to stay with your own party. Even if you have the EFCC case, the people that went and joined them [ruling party]; there is Joshua Dariye from Plateau and Reverend Jolly Nyame from Taraba, they ended up in jail. Even Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, it was only God that brought him out.

“So, that leader should forget about the EFCC case and do what is right for the party. Because I will just say it, for 2023, even God has rejected APC; the people of Nigeria have rejected them. They can be jumping around saying this one or that one wants to be president in 2023, if we (PDP) get in, there will be double jeopardy for him because he will have to run back from APC to PDP.”