A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gbongan, Ayedaade Council of Osun State, yesterday, nullified the expulsion of a governorship aspirant in the party, Dotun Babayemi, from its fold over alleged anti-party activities.
It said that the executive members of Babayemi’s Ward 2, who announced the expulsion last week, were illegal and not reognised by the court.
Secretary of ward, Mr. Adekunle Munurudeen, while addressing a press conference at PDP Local Council Secretariat, Oke Church, Gbongan, described Babayemi’s sack as facade and nullity, adding that the allegation of anti-party activities levelled against the gubernatorial aspirant were mere fabrication.
Munurudeen said that his camp is the only valid and duly elected ward executive that can commence a disciplinary process by virtue of Section 57 of the PDP Constitution, 2017 as amended.
“The persons, who claimed to be the Ward 2 executive committee members upon which they purportedly carried out the alleged expulsion of Dotun Babayemi, usurped the powers of the Ward 2 executive committee.”
“The authentic and valid Ward 2 executive committee of the party was confirmed by a valid and subsisting court order on March 3, 2022 and subsequently re-affirmed on March 10, 2022.
“The following ordinary PDP members from Ward 2, namely: Chief Julius Awodeji, Isiaka Rabiu, Bukayo Ogunleye and Lekan Adegbenle and others, who purportedly expelled Dotun Babayemi, were not the duly elected Ward 2 executive members recognised and authenticated by court of competent jurisdiction.
“The said purported disciplinary proceedings and the subsequent expulsion of Dotun Babayemi by persons not recognised by the PDP’s constitution and valid court orders is the greatest fraud and albeit void ab initio and of no legal consequences.
“As a result, the whole exercise was procedurally wrong as the constitution of party was flagrantly abused and not adhered to. To this effect, all the aforementioned PDP members who partook in this illegal charade are hereby suspended from the party pending the constitution of a disciplinary committee to evaluate their actions and that necessary steps in line with the constitution of the PDP are taken,” he said.
Meanwhile, a party leader in Ward 3, Gbongan, Mr. Adelani Ajanaku, who spoke after the conference, said the removal of Babayemi was a misplaced decision, which took many party faithful aback.
