Following the suspension of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, Fatai Adams, the state executive committee of the party has appointed the deputy chairman of the party, Mr. Tola Alabere, as acting chairman of the party in the state on Thursday.
The party, which made this announcement after the meeting of SEC at the party’s secretariat in Akure, stated that the development became necessary to avoid any vacuum due to the suspension of Adams.
Alabere’s appointment was ratified by nine out of the eleven members of the State Working Committee, who asserted that Adams was suspended over alleged anti-party activities and actions detrimental to the party’s reputation.
Recall that the nine members of the SWC, including Tola Alabere, Dayo Awude, Oluseye Olujimi, Amos Fadope, Moses Awofade, Boluwaji Bamidele, Olawumi Fasonu, and Kennedy Peretei, signed the notice suspending the chairman.
The State Working Committee stated that Adams was suspended for engaging in anti-party activities and actions likely to bring the party into disrepute.
The SWC directed Adams to appear before the State Disciplinary Committee of the party for further interrogations within the next week, emphasizing that it would decisively handle any incursion by the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), into its ranks.
In response, Adams claimed that the move to suspend him was politically motivated to remove him and enable others to implement their plans for the Akoko North-East/North East Federal Constituency bye-election.
He maintained that he remained the chairman of the party in the state, expressing his commitment to protecting the democratic values the party was known for.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, stated that the National Working Committee (NWC) has dismissed the suspension, declaring it null and void.
He emphasized that the state committee lacked the authority to suspend the chairman without proper procedures.
The state chapter of the PDP defended the suspension, asserting that according to the party’s constitution, all levels possess the power to discipline erring members within their ranks, including the state chairman.
They pointed out that nine out of eleven SWC members signed the suspension letter, indicating a lack of confidence in Adams’ leadership.
The SEC of the party took a step further by approving the appointment of the state Deputy Chairman, Alabere, to take over the affairs of the party as the acting state chairman of the PDP in the state pending the outcome of an investigation into the activities of the embattled chairman.
