The Lagos State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ratified indefinite suspension of a former State Chairman of the party, Chief Segun Adewale (aka Aeroland).
The party ,in a letter dated June 19 and signed by the State Secretary, Mr Soji Orioye, said the resolution was taken at the party’s executive meeting on Wednesday .
Orioye said the committee made the resolution upon receipt of letters of suspension of Adewale from his ward and local government area( Alimosho Local Government Area )and after due diligence.
He said Adewale’s ward and local government area notified the state executive committee of the party about his suspension in a letter dated June 12.
Orioye said that his suspension followed alleged acts of misconduct, including breach of the party’s constitution, diversion of election funds, and anti-party activities .
“That State Executive Committee of the Party notes with regrets that the body is already in receipt of several petitions against the same Mr Segun Adewale wherein he was alleged to have taken some prominent leaders of the party to court.
“This, he did, without exploring the conflict resolution mechanism of the party ,which action ordinarily amounts to a fundamental breach of the party’s constitution.
“The state exco further takes judicial notice of Mr Adewale’s disdain and disrespect for the Constitution of the Party, as well as all other constituted organs of the party.
“This he did, using the Nigerian Police to arrest and harass some prominent party leaders and the principal officers of Alimosho Local Government Exco- his own local government,” Orioye said.
He said that the party’s State Working Committee was mindful of its constitutional responsibilities to the party.
According to him, the committee in strict compliance with the principle of fair hearing as guaranteed in the Constitution of Nigeria and as contained in Section 57 (5) ofthe Constitution of our great Party (2017 Amended version), gave Adewale an opportunity to defend himself.
He said that this was through a letter of invitation, dated June 12 ,to a fact- finding meeting.
Orioye said that Adewale shunned the invitation and failed to take advantage of the window of opportunity to defend himself.
“That failure to appear personally or through a counsel before a panel of enquiry without any legal excuse or any formal apologies to attend the meeting and defend himself over such heinous allegations becomes an undefended case.
“There is therefore, a natural presumption of guilt to the levelled allegations ,hence his decision not to honour the invitation.
“That in order to instil discipline, maintain orderliness as well as to defend, uphold and advance the supremacy of the constitution of our great Party- PDP, the State Executive Committee of the party in Lagos State after an extensive deliberation on the matter, had no other option but to ratify the suspension of Mr Adewale as carried out and passed from his ward and local government.
“That accordingly, Mr Segun Adewale (alias Aeroland) is hereby suspended from our great party – Lagos State PDP in accordance with section 57, Subsection 3 and Section 58, subsection (A), (B), (D), (I) and (L) of our Party’s Constitution (2017 Amended Version)”he said.
Confirming the letter in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Lagos State PDP Chairman, Mr Philip Aivoji, said that the decision to suspend former state chairman was jointly taken by state exco.
“it was the decision of the entire exco, ” Aivoji told NAN on telephone.
Reacting, Adewale said that the party’s constitution only allowed suspension of any party member or leader from the ward ,claiming he had not been suspended by his ward for any alleged act of misconduct.
“It is unfortunate that leaders and exco that are supposed to be suspended from the party for working against the PDP in the 2023 general elections are the ones suspending me that stayed to defend the party and its votes.
“I am still in the party, I am still the South West ex-officio of the party, representing Lagos in the zone and the national body has not removed me.
“The national body is even asking me and begging me to stay.
“The premise on which the state exco is talking of suspension is faulty because the constitution states that I must be suspended from my ward and there is nothing like suspension from my ward,” he said.
Adewale said that instead of publishing the report of his suspension in the media for sensationalism, the state executive should proceed to the zonal level and then the national level, to actualise their plan.
“If the suspension is real and not for sensationalism or propaganda, the letter should be sent to South West zone of the party and the national leadership in Abuja.
“They should take the suspension letter to Abuja now. They should notify the national body of PDP and Southwest Zonal exco of the party, not the press. We are waiting for the letter.
“They can suspend but it is the national body that will ratify it,” he said.
He alleged that the former PDP National Deputy Chairman and life Board of Trustees member, Chief Olabode George had been fingered in “all the drama of my suspension”.
“The reason for the suspension is because I took Bode George up and keep challenging him for always trading away the party every four years on the eve of elections,” Adewale said.
He said that he didn’t show up at the state executive disciplinary committee when invited because its membership were full of those that worked against the party in the last elections.
“He that comes to equity must come with clean hands. They are the ones we are supposed to be suspended because they worked against the party,” Adewale said.