Lagos PDP feud deepens

None of the factions laying claim to the leadership of the PDP in Lagos state is ready to backdown, deepening the crisis in that chapter of the party

The two factions led by Capt Tunji Shelle, and Kamal Olorunoje continue to lay claim to the chairmanship of the party, alleging that the other has agreed to step down.

They also both accuse each other of running an illegal executive committee.

The faction led by Capt Shelle, alleged that the Olorunoje group had surrendered the leadership of the PDP to it during a meeting at the party’s headquarters on Friday.

But Olorunoje countered the claim, describing it as a ploy to deceive party members, and the public.

Spokesperson for the Shelle-led faction, Mr. Gani Taofik, had sent a text message sent to newsmen that Olorunoje’s group surrendered to the leadership of Shelle as the party’s chairman, thus bringing to an end the crisis that erupted in the state chapter of the PDP shortly after the 2015 general elections.

The text message read, “In what appears to be a U-turn of stance, some persons, including the state secretary, the vice chairman (Lagos West); the treasurer, six local government areas chairmen and two ex-officio members made a surprise appearance at the state executives meeting now in session at the state secretariat of the party.

“It is expected that more of the chairman’s antagonists will join the session before it ends.”

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But getting wind of the move, Olorunoje explained that, “The message sent by the Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary that members of the executives surrendered to Capt. Tunji Shelle is absolutely false. Surprise appearance was made by some of our members to explain the constitutional procedures to the meeting called today at the party secretariat by Shelle through his personal assistant that it is only the state secretary who can call meetings.

“The majority still believes and stands by our allegations against Capt. Shelle, which were not fabricated but known proven facts. So we still consider Tunji Shelle suspended by the majority and still waiting for the National Executive Committee’s ratification.”

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