Crisis is brewing in the African Democratic Congress, Ogun State Charpter, as executive members are divided over the suspension of Hon. Jimi Lawal, a former aide to ex-Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
This was just as the party declared a caretaker committee to steer the party’s affairs at the state and council levels.
The State’s Chairman, Otunba Femi Soluade in a statement issued at the end of a meeting on Saturday held at the party’s Secretariat, Abeokuta, the state capital, announced the suspension of Lawal over alleged anti-party activities.
Soluade accused Lawal of allegedly attempting to monopolise party structures through alleged systematic acquisition of two local council structures and dismantling of state and local leadership frameworks.
He said that the suspension of Lawal was aimed to restore stability within the party’s structure and ensured continuity of operations before the forthcoming state congress, whose date is yet to be announced.
The Chairman said that the party structures in Ijebu Ode and Sagamu, seized during the crisis, have been returned to their original leaders to restore balance and inclusiveness.
He warned that any further attempts to hijack party structures at state or local levels have been stopped would be resisted to protect internal democracy and ensure everyone in the party have a voice.
“We have suspended Mr Jimi Adebola Lawal and declared him a non-member of the party due to activities inconsistent with the principles and internal democratic framework of the ADC”, he said
But, in a swift reaction, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Hon. Olumide Onabajo said that the party’s chairman lacks the constitutional power to suspend Lawal and announced caretaker committee without following due process.
In a rejoined obtained on Sunday titled ‘ Notification of the purported suspension of H.E Jimi Lawal and Illegal appointments’, Onabajo said that the suspension of Lawal was null and voided.
Onabajo said that Lawal remains a respected and bona fide leader and member of the party and has not been legitimately suspended, insisting that no constitutional process was initiated or concluded to warrant such action.
He said ” the Constitution of our great party does not empower the State Chairman, acting unilaterally, to suspend any member of the party let alone a leader of the stature of H.E. Jimi Lawal. Suspension of any member must follow laid-down constitutional procedures, including due process, fair hearing, and ratification by the appropriate organs of the party.
“Furthermore, the State Chairman does not possess unilateral powers to dissolve duly elected executives, appoint caretaker committees, or fill executive positions at the State or Local Government levels without.” he added.
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