A large scale crisis has rocked the Labour Party in Ogun state as a faction, on Friday, suspended the state chairman, Michael Ashade, the Secretary, Feyisola Michael and the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, for alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities.
The faction is loyal to the Director General of the LP Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, who was expelled along 10 others for alleged breach of the party constitution.
Twenty-four hours after their expulsion by the state party, some other party leaders loyal to Okupe announced the expulsion of the state party chairman and the national publicity secretary for expelling their leaders.
The PUNCH reported that Ashade flanked by Feyisola and Arabambi had announced dismissal of Okupe and 10 other LP leaders in the state over alleged non-financial membership status, high-handedness and financial recklessness.
But, there was a twist on Friday as the Deputy Chairman, Lookman Jagun and four others reaffirmed Okupe’s membership, but suspended Ashade, Feyisola and Arabambi, citing anti-party activities.
Jagun who addressed newsmen in Abeokuta alongside Ogun Central Senatorial Leader, Ope Ijaola; Ogun West Senatorial Leader, Taofeek Oloyede; State Women Leader, Olori Bukola; and the state treasurer, Fesomade Gbadebo, said the decisions were taken after an emergency leadership and stakeholders’ meeting held in Abeokuta.
He said, “Rising from an emergency leadership and stakeholders’ meeting held today in Abeokuta, the party decided to axe these officers for various offences bothering on connivance with other parties, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress Government in the State to thwart the aspirations of Labour Party candidates in Ogun State as well as their various
gross public misconducts and anti party activities.
“We consider their recent vituperation and interventions as scenes from their theatre of the absurd and their last dance of the macabre by making such insensitive, uncouth and laughable announcements on severely faulted and faultable premises.
“We dissociate ourselves and condemn its utterances and import in its entirety and declare it undemocratic, unreasonable, capable of threatening the peace and the democratic space of the country and of no substance and effect whatsoever.
“We hereby reaffirm and pass a vote of confidence on the Director General of the Obi Datti Campaign Organisation Dr. Doyin Okupe as well as the 11 notable members of the Party that are purportedly expunged.”
He however, called on the party leadership to direct Arabambi “to hand over and hand off all matters in court on the listing of Labour Party candidates names for the 2023 Elections to prevent electoral failure of the party in Ogun State.”
When contacted, Arabambi dismissed his suspension, saying it cannot stand.
He said “Who are they? Do they have the powers to summon meetings? Do they have powers to suspend the state chairman or myself? I don’t even know them.”
