Lagos PDP suspends chairperson, deputy
Philip Aivoji and Tai Benedict had been suspended by their wards on April 14 over alleged gross violation of the party’s constitution.
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its chairperson, Philip Aivoji, and his deputy, Tai Benedict, pending the outcome of court cases.
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Messrs Aivoji and Benedict had been suspended respectively by their ward executives on April 14 over alleged gross violation of the party’s constitution.
The party’s spokesperson in Lagos State, Hakeem Amode, stated on Tuesday in Lagos that the State Working Committee reached the resolution after appraising the outcome of the 2023 general elections.
He stated that at a meeting, the committee deliberated on saving the soul of the main opposition party in the state.
He added that the committee consequently confirmed Lagos PDP Vice-Chairman (West Senatorial District), Sunday Olaifa, as acting chairman, pending the outcome of court cases.
He stated also that the committee settled for Mr Olaifa being the vice-chairman from the suspended chairman’s senatorial district.
Mr Amode said the committee also constituted a seven-man disciplinary committee to look into all matters affecting the suspended officials.
Members of the disciplinary committee are Abayomi Kuye (Chairman), Esther Egbi (Secretary), Isiaka Shodiya, M.A Coker, Messrs Kayode Ariwayo, Femi Oluokun and Segun Oriyomi.
Mr Amode added that the post-election disciplinary committee was expected to revert to the State Working Committee one week from the date of its constitution.
Members of the State Working Committee at the meeting were Mr Olaifa, Agboola Akinpelu (Youth Leader), Ismail Olatunji (State Auditor) and Adio Salami (State Organising Secretary) and Mr Amode.
“The five members in attendance constitute the majority of the nine members in the State Working Committee out of the original 14 members that can take the decision.
“Three of the original 14 members had decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby reducing the membership of the State Working Committee to 11.
“The embattled chairman and his deputy were part of the 11 remaining members and since they can’t adjudicate in their own case, only nine members were left to take decisions.
Some Lagos PDP leaders abandoned the party’s governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, on the eve of the March 18 gubernatorial election to support either the Labour Party (LP) or the ruling APC.
The development was believed to have contributed to Mr Adediran coming a distant third behind the winner, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of APC and the first runner up, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the LP.
Crisis is also rocking PDP at the national level with the suspension of its national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, shortly after the 25 February and 18 March general elections.
(NAN)