ABUJA — A fresh controversy is threatens the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the appointment of Mr. Sunday Fagbemi as the new Deputy National Secretary of the party to replace Mr. Raheem Adedoyin now Commissioner in Kwara State, with Mr. Zulukainani Edun (Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency) in the House of Representatives saying Fagbemi was imposed on the party in the State.
But the Secretary of the PDP in Kwara South Senatorial District, Mr. Sunday Olaoye said the statement by Hon. Edun was uncalled for because “the position is not a Kwara position, but a national position and Fagbemi was adopted by the North Central Zone and not something done by the State Chairman of the party”.
Mr. Edun, in a statement in Abuja, said the recent development within the party in the State, particularly its position on the issue of appointment of new Deputy National Publicity Secretary from the Sate was condemnable.
According to him “the position of Deputy National Publicity Secretary has always been zoned to Kwara South Senatorial District and this has been duly observed from Mr, Gbenga Olawepo to Alhaji Abdulraheem Adedoyin until the latter was appointed a Commissioner under Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s Government. The position became vacant and the State nominated candidate, Barrister Mustapha Funsho was fielded; however, his candidature was objected to and subsequently withdrawn.
“In furtherance of the laid down rules of zoning, another candidate from the same district in person of Mr. Olabode Ojomo was then nominated and approved by th State Executive Committee of the party. Now, rather than ratify his nomination, as approved by the State Executives of the party, the Zonal Chairman (Abubakar Mogaji) sidelined the decision of the State Executives and went ahead to recommend to the Notional Working Committee another candidate from Ekiti Local Government Area, which literally contradicts the zoning agreement of the party.
“Unfortunately, the imposed candidate (one Sunday Fagbemi) during the last gubernatorial election worked relentlessly and openly for the former Governor Mohammed Lawal-led ANPP to the detriment of our great party, PDP.”
Alluding to the case of the late Chief Dikibo’s replacement, which he said complied with the existing zoning arrangement, Mr. Edun said “we have a strong reason to believe that there are some disgruntled people who, without relevance in Kwara politics, are feeding the National Working Committee of the party with wrong and disjointed impressions”.
He also said that the suspension of the Kwara State Chapter Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Zubair was a “misplaced concretion and w equally condemn and reject it”, stressing further “it is noteworthy to affirm that the National Secretariat of our great party has been meddling with the party affairs in Kwara State”.
But the Secretary of the PDP in Kwara South Senatorial District, Mr. Olaoye in a reaction weekend said with particular emphasis on Mr. Edun’s position on the appointment of Fagbemi as new Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party that the correct thing was done.
According to him “the statement by Mr. Edun is uncalled for because the position is not a Kwara position; it is a national position and Fagbemi was adopted by the Executive Committee of the North Central zone. It is not something that was done by the State Chairman of the party.
“Secondly, the South Senatorial District had adopted him (Fagbemi) and that is the zone to which the position is zoned; and all the chairman in PDP South Senatorial District and all officials of the party signed the resolution adopting Fagbemi even before the zone adopted him. It is only the Exco of the party that has the prerogative to take such a decision.
“Thirdly, Fagbemi was the Secretary of the party elected by the 2001 Congress, who sacrificed his position in order to accommodate the Saraki group when they came into the party; and the National Chairman promised that the next vacancy would be given to any of them who sacrificed their positions. When the office of Deputy National Publicity Secretary became vacant, the party in its wisdom gave Fagbemi the first consideration.
“It is ironic that it is an Honorable member representing an Ilorin Emirate that issued a statement in Abuja on the South Senatorial District. The South has taken its decision and no Ilorin man can impose his decision on us”.
