Crisis hits Osun LP as ward exco suspends state chairman

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

The Labour Party (LP) is enmeshed in a serious crisis in Osun State as ward executives of the state chairman declared him suspended on Tuesday.

The chairman of the party in ward 12, Osogbo Local Government, Hammed Sherif, who led other members of the executives at a press conference in Osogbo, said the state chairman, Bello Adebayo, was suspended for alleged anti-party in line with Article 19(1b) subsection 2, 4, 5 and Article 19(2b) subsection 3 of the party’s constitution.

Adebayo had suspended the national legal adviser, state women leader, and 11 Local Government Chairmen for alleged anti-party and for participating in the factional National Executive Council meeting held in Bauchi.

However, the Osun State Working Committee, party candidates and the 31 LG chairmen also passed a vote of confidence on the national legal adviser, Akingbade Oyelekan and Mrs Susan Ojo, the state women leader.

A statement by the acting state chairperson, Mrs. Susan Ojo, on Tuesday, explained that Adebayo was on suspension by the national chairman, Alh Lamidi Apanpa, before he took the decision.

According to Ojo, the FCT High Court had stopped the chairmanship of Julius Abure and the national secretary, Farouk Ibrahim, from parading themselves as national officer of the party.

“Prior to the FCT high court experts order that restrained Abure and four others, the Alhaji Lamidi Apanpa-led Labour Party had suspended 12 members, including the acting national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifo, Kenneth Okonkwo, and state chairmen that attended the Delta state NEC meeting. In this regard, Bello Adebayo was part of those that attended the NEC meeting after several warnings.

“By the constitution of the party, he has been suspended and ceased to be the state chairman of the party in Osun. We are using this medium to call on the security officials in the country to note this,” Ojo stated.