Crisis has hit Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of next month’s by-election for Akoko Northwest/Akoko Northeast Federal Constituency seat.
The crisis escalated yesterday when the State Working Committee (SWC) sacked the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Fatai Adams.
In a statement issued at the end of the Ondo PDP SWC meeting and signed by nine members, the SWC said Adams was removed pursuant to Section 58(1b. c, f. h. and i) of the party’s constitution as amended in 2017.
The statement said Adams was removed for anti-party activities and engaging in activities likely to bring the party to disrepute.
“He is accordingly advised to appear before the State Disciplinary Committee for further interrogations within the next one week.
“The party wishes to state that it will deal with any incursion by the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), into its ranks,” it said.
Adams described the members that signed the statement as jokers.
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He said his removal was null and void, noting that only the National Executive Committee could discipline him.
Adams said those that signed the statement were sponsored by “elements within and outside the party.”
It was gathered that trouble started in the Ondo PDP after Adams rejected the report of a 20-man committee to assess aspirants for the February by-election.
The committee had advised the party to sponsor Olalekan Bada as its consensus candidate for the by-election into Akoko North East/Akoko North West seat in the House of Representatives.
Sources said Adams was in support of another aspirant that came third in the committee’s ranking.
A chieftain of the PDP said: “We will not allow Adams lead us to defeat again. He is supposed to be neutral, but he picked sides. What we want is victory at the polls.”