2nd August, 2011
The crisis rocking Peoples Democratic Party, Oyo State today took another dimension as the faction loyal to Adebayo Alao-Akala, the former governor of the state expelled the a former senate leader, Teslim Folarin ,former National Deputy Vice Chairman , Chief Yekini Adeojo, Senator Lekan Balogun and others.
Addressing the newsmen after a three hour meeting held at Marian Hall of Green Springs Hotel in Ibadan, the state Secretary of the faction, Alhaji Bashiru Akanbi said the Oyo PDP decided to expel the aforementioned people because their involvement in anti-party activities.
Others expelled were: Elder Wole Oyelese ,Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Senator Gbenga Babalola, Alhaji Abass Olopoeniyan .
Akanbi declared that expelled members contributed seriously to the defeat of the party in the state during the last elections.
The faction also set up a 13 man Reconciliation Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Saka Balogun, former Chief of staff in the administration of Alao-Akala while Dr. Morohunkola Thomas will serve as secretary.
Addressing party supporters, Alao Akala said the state chapter of the party would never do anything contrary to the instructions of the National leadership of the party.
Alao-Akala declared that the National body of the party had said members of the party that had defected to other political parties and wanted to come back should go and do so through their wards. He urged the ward chairmen to immediately take necessary steps to effect the directive of the National.
He noted that the activities of Senator Folarin, Chief Lekan Balogun, Chiief Yekini Adeojo ,Hazeem Gbolarumi, Elder Wole Oyelese before the elections and after show that they are enemies of the party in the state.
Others in attendance were: former deputy governor,Oladejo Arapaja,former speaker of the Oyo House of Assembly ,Olawale Atilola, former minister of Sports, Professor Taoreed Adedoja,former SSG in Oyo, Olayiwola Olakojo ,the Chairman of the party in the State Chief Dejo Afolabi among others.
Senator Balogun described the expulsion as a huge joke and arrant lawlessness.
He said, “There is a lot left in the democratic arsenal to deal with these unthinking, crude politicians. First, the “exco” that convened the meeting is illegal and not known to law. Secondly, we all conscientiously worked for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s victory and the results showed. Is it anti-party to reject tranny and anti-people candidates at the polls? Finally, the matter of whatever or not the PDP had any candidtate, lawfully, in the last election in Oyo State is still in court. I would not bother myself at this stage about ‘an Agagu panel’ report. Suffice it to say that the panel never met us for any discussion before making its recommendations, if such exist. What became of Ike Nwachukwu’s painstaking findings. Huge joke is the only. Way to describe the charade”.