Ayo Fayose Suspended By Ekiti PDP

The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, resurfaced in the state capital on Tuesday and announced the suspension of a governorship aspirant of the party, Mr Ayo Fayose, and three members of the state executive committee of the party.

The members of the state executive whose suspensions were also announced by Mr Ogundipe are the secretary of the party, Mr Tope Aluko; the publicity secretary, Mr Kola Oluwawole and the women leader, Mrs Busola Oyebode.

Ogundipe, who addressed newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, expressed regret over the invasion of the party secretariat, describing it as “unfortunate and highly regretted,” and added that the state working committee of the party “after a careful study and thorough investigation” decided to suspend the people.

He said: “The transformation agenda of the Federal Government under our leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, will not be allowed to be rubbished by anybody, no matter how highly placed. The PDP is a disciplined party, therefore we will not tolerate insubordination from any individual for whatever reason.”

But Fayose, in a reaction described his suspension as “ignorable,” saying “you don’t suspend from the top, you suspend from the ward.”

“Suspending Fayose is like suspending PDP in Ekiti. Ogundipe should learn from the past. Fayose is an institution.” 

Fayose, who spoke through the Director of Media of his campaign organisation, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said: “It is an ignorable news. Ogundipe is not from Fayose’s ward. You don’t suspend from the top, you suspend from the ward.”

Also reacting, the publicity secretary of the party, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, described his suspension as an aberration, saying Ogundipe, who had earlier been suspended, could not suspend him.

Oluwawole said “Ogundipe would have to face a disciplinary committee after he had been suspended and he must clear himself of complicity in bribery.”

Speaking on his earlier suspension announced by Oluwawole last week, Ogundipe said: “We are a law-abiding people and the constitution of our party is very clear on who can suspend and who you can suspend. Article 21 (9) of our party specifies who members of the national executive committee of our party are. All state chairmen are members of the national executive committee of our party. No organ of the party can suspend them unless the national executive committee.