EXPLOSION HITS ONDO PDP...AS ACN SOARS HIGHER

EXPLOSION HITS PDP!

…as ACN benefited from mass defection

…party in disarray over Alasoadura's defection plan

That Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter is in disarray is like stating the obvious, because the ripple effect of the abysmal failure at the last election is seriously crumbling the party.

As if the abysmal failure recorded by the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] was not even enough we heard it from a very good source that the ranks and files of the party will further be depleted any moment from now.

Because what started like a rumour will eventually turned to reality as one of   the founding and funding member of the PDP in Ondo State and a leader from Akure had concluded arrangement to defect to Acton Congress of Nigeria [ACN] which has become the political  harbor for politician seeking for a face saving political platform.

Information scooped from both the ACN and the PDP camps revealed that both party are already brazing up for the unfolding political occurrence that will eventually shake the political landscape of Ondo State.

During Sunshine VOICE routine check at the ACN party secretariat, some   party executives where seeing discussing the issue of decampees and how they are going to manage them in low voice.

While the whole world is awaits the defection of one of Akure most popular PDP leader [names withheld] who was quoted as telling his supporters that he will defect to ACN from PDP as he just realized that his political future can not be guaranteed.

Among those rumoured to decamp from PDP is the  Iju born political lord and grassroots mobiliser, Chief Tayo Alasoadaura, the former  Commissioner for finance under Gov. Agagu  was said to have concluded and perfected his plan to defect to ACN.

He was quoted to have recently confined in some of his loyal political followers his defection plan to ACN and that it became imperative for him to join another ship in order to achieve his political aspiration. 

Since February,2009 when Dr. Mimiko of the LP reclaimed his stolen mandate from Dr. Agagu led PDP government and the victory of both Governors Raufu Aregbesola  and Kayode Fayemi in Osun and Ekiti State   the PDP in Ondo State has daily been experiencing the defection of its  strong members to either Labour Party[LP] and of recent to ACN.

The party has lost two most vibrant members from Ondo North Senatorial District Chief Bailey Arohunmolase and Chief Mrs Olugboja to LP while the PDP in Akure lost two members the duo of Hon Idowu Otetubi and High Chief R. A Badmus a die-hard supporter and loyalist of Gov. Agagu   defected to ACN among others.

MINISTERIAL LIST TEARS ONDO PDP APART,MANY SINS OF TOKUNBO KAYODE,DEFENCE MINISTER

Ministerial List Tears Ondo PDP Apart

… As Kayode Defence Minister was dropped for Elegbeleye

…his many sins, + why PDP can not forgive him

More facts are emerging why the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has failed to forgive the suspended minister for Defence, Prince Tokunbo Kayode.

The state chapter of the PDP, through its Chairman and Secretary,Dr.Tayo Dairo and Sola Oludipe, had announced the indefinite suspension of the minister on allegation of anti-party last week.

The executive are yet to reverse the suspension of the Ikaramu-Akoko born lawyer turned politician despite all entireties by the national and zonal body of PDP.

The party leaders alleged the unholy alliance and romance between the minister, Kayode and  ruling Labour Party in the state, to the detriment of his political party.

Sources close to the party told the Sunshine VOICE that the party executives were pressure to take the drastic decision by the members of the National Assembly who loss their return bid.

The NASS members were said to have converged at Abuja and took the decision that they should pay back the minister over their woeful outing at the last poll so that he too can feel what they are feeling.

The state excos acted on the petition of the NASSA members over what they described as Kayode's inability to muster enough support for them during the just concluded general election. 

This move is to blockade the perceived renewed effort by the minister to retain his portfolio having been credited by some party leaders at the zonal and national level for been instrumental to the success of the PDP Southwest rallies.

Kayode was appointed by the late President Musa Yar'Adua  had served in various  ministries as minister from the ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as Labour and Productivity, until he was latter saddle with the responsibility of over seeing the Ministry of Defence by President Goodluck Jonathan, who retained him in the cabinet after the death of his boss.

But the happiness of the party leaders begins to withered as they loss virtually all the bye-elections and polls conducted during his tenure a serving minister.

Some PDP leaders who spoke under anonymity berated Kayode for the monumental loss of the party in all the polls as they believed that if he had played his role sincerely and politically it would have greatly impacted on the fortune of the party.

It was learnt that the minister did not play any active role in the bye-elections conducted in the state and won by the ruling LP before the recent general election.

Specifically, the minister was said to be nowhere to be found during the by-election conducted in the Northern Senatorial District, which the PDP candidate, Jimi Adedapo lost woefully.

They traced the  loss of the PDP candidates at the subsequent election held at Ilaje the backyard of Dr Agagu and the stronghold of the party equally shows the lack of commitment and disloyality of Kayode to the party.

Some Youths group also blamed the minister for the poor showing of the party in the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections.

The group known as the Ondo State Youth Leaders Forum said the ''non challant attitude'' of the minister to the development of the party was responsible for the crack within PDP.

The group, in an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan signed by its President, Elegbeleye Rasheed PDP aspirant who loss his State House of Assembly bid and Secretary, Kolawole Femi, said that the minister deliberately sold out the party to the opposition, using all the machinery at his disposal in preparation for his second term ministerial slot.

They alleged that the minister was negotiating with the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to defect to the PDP before May 29, so that the governor could re-nominate him for the state ministerial slot.

'Tokunbo Kayode has not been a blessing to the Ondo State PDP. He has contributed nothing to the development of the PDP in Ondo State. He only gives money and contracts to his loyalists.

"He is responsible for the poor outing of the PDP in the recently conducted elections in Ondo state. Somebody who cannot deliver his territory to the party, he was only after how to retain his post," the group stated.

But the immediate past Secretary to the State Government [SSG] and a very notable political leader from the southern senatorial district, Barrister Isaac Kekemeke differs on the issue of Kayode's suspension as he accused the party leaders of losing focus.

Hon. Kekemeke who was onetime leader of opposition in the state assembly during the truncated third republic was quoted by some media report that he exonerates Kayode over the abysmal failure of the party in the last election.

He condemned the party executives of conniving and cabal against Kayode, why should he be blame for refusing the party to use armed soldier to rig the last election.

Though the state secretariat of the PDP in Akure is yet to revert the suspension order placed on the minister, but sources closed to the minister said he had been making frantic effort to get his renomination through back door.

SUNSHINE DEBUT ON TUESDAY, HIT NEWSTAND WITH A BANG !

It was a promise well kept as SUNSHINE VOICE debut with a very big BAG on the street of Ondo State.
TOP STORIES YOU CAN NOT AFFORD TO MISS:
[a] Unbelievable! MIMIKO SPENT N70M TO HOST PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FOR 30mins-Abayomi

[b] AHEAD OF CABINET RESHUFFLE:
ONDO COMMISSIONERS,APPOLINTEES,UNDER SECURITY SURVEILLANCE

[c] MINISTERIAL LIST TEARS ONDO PDP APART:
...AS TOKUNBO KAYODE,DEFENCE MINISTER'S NAME  WAS DROPPED FOR ELEGBELEYE
...HIS MANY SINS,+ WHY PDP CAN NOT FORGIVE HIM.

[d] LP ARE MERE TENANTS IN ONDO STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE-Akintade

[e] EXPLOSION HITS PDP ...party in disarray over ALASOADURA defectioplan to ACN

[f] GOKE OLUWOLE'S COLUMN; AKOKOLAND : PEOPLE IN SEARCH OF A TRUE LEADER

AND MANY MORE

PDP SACKED AGAGU,DISSOLVED STATE EXCO

PDP Leaders sacked Agagu and Dairo, dissolves state exco

*Constitute a 9-man interim committee.

*Abdusalam,Ehinlanwo,EddyOlafeso,Arohunmolase,kekemeke,Alasoaduratakes over party  

The crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened yesterday as a faction of the party, under the auspices of Leaders and Stakeholders, suspended the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, from the party.

Also, the members dissolved the Dr. Omotayo Dairo-led State Executive Council and resolved to constitute a nine-man interim management committee to harmonise all factions and tendencies in the party.

Besides, the members rejected the suspension of members of the party and the list of 10 names compiled for federal appointments allegedly by Agagu and Dairo.

This development came as the Chairman of the party in Akoko Northwest; Prince Alaba Arohunmolashe, said the compilation of the 10 names as nominees to President Goodluck Jonathan would not stay because the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), who is the highest political office holder of the party in the state, was not carried along.

Arohunmolase said the action of the dissolved Dairo-led executive would not stand because it did not enjoy the support of the majority of the party supporters in the state.

Among the leaders and stakeholders that witnessed the press conference addressed at the Press Centre of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), were the immediate past Speaker of the House of Assembly, Taofiq Olawale Abdusalam, incumbent Senator representing Ondo South, Senator Hosea Ehinlanwo, former commissioners under Agagu’s government including Dr Eddy Olafeso, Isaacs Kekemeke, and Chief Tayo Alasoadura.

Others included former Chairmen of local governments; Chief Adebanbo Odoro, Charles Adeduro, Mrs Yejide Ogundipe and Stephen Olemija.

Serving legislators of the party including Fatai Adams and Princess Caroline Olubimtan were at the briefing. Former office and incumbent office holders including Chief Bamidele Adeladun, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, Demola Babalola, Akin Aruwajoye, Dr Bode Iwaloye, Dr Patrick Gbakinro and Col Tunde Awodeyi (rtd) were also present.

Briefing reporters of behalf of others, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to Agagu, Chief Segun Adegoke, said although the decision was painful, it had to be taken in the interest of the party.

He said Agagu, as the leader, was suspended because he led the party to inexplicable and inexcusable electoral failure and for accentuating the unending crisis in the party, saying the decision had brought the party to its comatose state.

Adegoke said the stakeholders adopted the doctrine of necessity because prominent members of the party had left for other political parties due to the alleged mismanagement on the party by Agagu and Dairo.

His words: The leaders and stakeholders resolved to dissolve the state executive committee of the party in Ondo State and will set up a panel to investigate the finances of the party since February, 2009 including the over N30 million contributed by party members for the building of the state secretariat, the N10 million donated by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and all monies for the various elections in the state.

The leaders and stakeholders reject the suspension of the party members from the party without hearing and/or due process and urge the interim management committee to review all such cases. A party that is losing needs people, not fewer people.

The party leaders said it would be wrong and politically suicidal to allow the Dairo-led executive that had led the party to five electoral failures to continue in office and compound the woes of the party.

In his reaction, Dairo said the people, who were spent forces in their local government areas lacked locus standi to proclaim the state executive dissolved or to suspend any member of the party.

According to him, the list being complained about was complied with due process by the State Working Committee (SWC) and 15 leaders of the party across the state.

His words: These leaders are spent forces in their constituencies. As far as we are concerned, they are not known to our party, they are not known to the constitution because they are ex-this, ex-that, we want them to know that this is not an obaship institution where once you assume the leader, you are there for life, their local government areas have produced vibrant young men that have displaced many of these people.

These people now have no direct means of livelihood and that is why you see them becoming political jobbers. Hon Isaacs Kekemeke was a party secretary here before settling for political appointment, Col Awodeyi was Chairman and many of them like that but they have lost touch with the reality on ground now which is for them to agree that the past should remain the past.

The party chairman accused the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, of masterminding the uproar in the party, saying: Unfortunately, the Minister found good use of these idle hands who have nowhere to go, no offices to run and no serious means of livelihood, he found ready tools in them and he doled some little to them and that is the result we are seeing now.

Since these people are not members of the ward executive, local government executives and state executive, they are not known to the national secretariat anymore and whatever they do remains null and void, so we are not bothered.

The PDP chairman laid the blame of the loss of the party at the elections conducted in the state since 2009 at the doorstep of many members of the group of stakeholders, noting that for example, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, a shining light within the team, was largely responsible for the political problems the party faced in Akure South Local Government due to his high handedness.

We understand they have served us before, but we appeal to them not to visit their frustrations on us because this frustration is out of poverty.

Similarly, the deputy governor under the Agagu administration and one of the nominees, Chief Omolade Oluwateru, said the leaders and stakeholders had no right to suspend anybody from the party, adding that the list being contested was compiled with input from the SWC and some leaders of the party.

His words: They said they are dissolving the exco and who are they, what are their positions in the party? There are ways of doing this, the executive council was constituted by a congress and it is only the congress that can dissolve the executive. So, it is very wrong for a handful set of people to hire people and pronounce the exco dissolved.

Besides, Chief Supo Ijabadeniyi, a leader of the party said the decision would not stand because of the illegality of their action.

According to him, those who took the decision were on their way to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and they wanted to destroy the party before the left.

OBASANJO ORDERS TOKUNBO KAYODE TO BEG FOR FORGIVENESS

‘Go and beg for forgiveness’

OBJ  orders Tokunbo  Kayode

The protracted political crisis rampaging the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) may have been laid to rest as former President Olusegun Obasanjo successfully brokered peace between the leadership of the Ondo PDP and the Defence Minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode.

Saturday Tribune gathered authoritatively that a meeting of the Ondo PDP stakeholders took place at the instance of President Obasanjo inside his Ota farm, Ogun State, on Thursday evening.

The meeting, which took place immediately after an earlier one held by chieftains of PDP in the South West geo-political zone, had in attendance former Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Agagu, chairman of PDP in the state, Dr Omotayo Dairo and Prince Kayode.

Others at the meeting, which was held behind closed doors and presided over by Obasanjo, were Chief Solomon Oladunni and Mr. Demola Ijabiyi.

During the no-holds- barred meeting, the Ondo PDP leaders were said to have accused the Defence Minister of being an ally of Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, whom they accused him of conniving with, to rob the PDP of victory in the last gubernatorial and parliamentary elections in the state.

Prince Kayode was also accused of deliberately starving the Ondo PDP of funds which, as the minister of defence, he could have made available to prosecute the past elections in Ondo State.

The defence minister was also accused of not being sensitive to the financial plight of PDP members in Ondo State in addition to not supporting PDP candidates who contested elections.

In addition, Prince Kayode was accused of not empowering any notable PDP member in any of the three senatorial districts in the state, but, instead, concentrated on making only himself comfortable.

The minister was also accused of constantly embarrassing the leadership of the PDP in the state by waging media war to demean their political status.

After defending himself on each of the allegations, which were said not to be satisfactory to the Ondo PDP chieftains, Chief Obasanjo was said to have come to his aid by pleading with the PDP leaders to forgive him and rescind the suspension placed on him.

The minister was also reportedly ordered by Obasanjo to formally ask for forgiveness from the Ondo PDP leaders and to also beg them verbally.

Meanwhile, The poor performance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West was as a result of the poor performance of governors of the party, a chieftain of the party, Wole Adebayo, has said.

Adebayo, who was reacting to the suspension of the Minister of Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode ,from the party said the poor performance of PDP at the last general elections showed that governors of the party let the people down by their dismal performance.

The minister was suspended by the Ondo state chapter of the PDP after the party failed to deliver the state for which the party blamed Adetokunbo.

Adebayo however, while reacting in a chat said it was a mistake for the state chapter of the party to suspend the first Minister of Defence from the South West on grounds that he was responsible for the poor showing of the party in Ondo.

He said: the reason given is very absurd. In fact, PDP lost the election in Ondo state in 1999; it won in 2003 because AD was quite unpopular and the PDP rallied round and got the people.

We lost out again in 2007; so, the party must be willing to please the electorate and win from year to year. If you lose this time, youll win next time. The party that is so arrogant to think that it cannot lose election and that electorates have no right in making choice; that party is not ready for democracy.

MINISTERIAL LIST:PDP DROPS DEFENCE MINISTER,KAYODE FOR ELEGBELEYE

Ondo State Ministerial list:

PDP drops Defence Minister,Tokunbo Kayode for Elegbeleye

…as Agagu,Olajumoke,Jimoh Ibrahim,Oke,Kuku,Dairo others  made  list

The desperate attempt and counter move by the embattled Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), to retain his position in the next dispensation suffered a big blow as the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dropped his name among the list of 10 members of the party presented with a less popular member Hon Oto Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The ministers name was conspicuously missing  among the 10 names of the  ministerial nominees expected to work with President Goodluck Jonathan  forwarded on Friday by the state chapter of the PDP to the elders’ meeting held in Lagos.

Top on the list of the nominees according to a PDP source, are: former state governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, Senator Bode Olajumoke the serving senator of Ondo Senatorial District, the publisher of the National Mirror and a business magnate, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, Engineer (Mrs.) Febi Adeyemi and former state deputy governor, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru.

Others are PDP national legal adviser, Chief Olusola Oke, the Special Adviser to the Presidency on Niger Delta Affairs, Honourable Kingsley Kuku, the party woman leader, Lady Folake Akinjoko, state party chairman, Dr. Omotayo Dairo, and Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye who currently represents Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and house committee vice Chairman on Sport."

 It would be recalled that the minister, Prince Kayode have for some weeks been swimming in the mucky political water over an alleged anti party activities that led to his suspension.

The state chapter of the PDP had earlier announced the suspension of the minister following what it described as his anti-party activities.

At the meeting, some leaders of the party from the state accused Prince Kayode of working against the success of the party in the last elections.

It would be recalled that the PDP acting chairman had directed all the state chapters of the party to submit 10 names of their members who will work with President Goodluck Jonathan in various capacities in the cabinet to be inaugurated soon.

As Prince Kayodes,the defence minister’s name was not on "the list of those who will be appointed to top political positions from Ondo State."

The state publicity secretary, Chief Adeyemi Adedipe, said the party leaders’ meeting was held in Lagos, but refused to make further comments.

While reacting on the suspension of the minister, Adedipe said the suspension was irreversible. His words: ‘The minister remains suspended. He has been suspended by the party state working committee (SWC) for alleged anti-party activities. His case has been forwarded to the national secretariat for further investigation."