Ondo SDP suspends party national chairman over ‘anti-party activities’

The Ondo state chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has suspended Olu Agunloye, national chairman of the party, over alleged anti-party activities.

The suspension was contained in a letter dated March 28, and entitled ‘Letter of Ratification of the Suspension of Dr Olu Agunloye’, which was made available to NAN on Thursday in Akure, the Ondo capital.

The letter, which was addressed to the national secretary, was signed by Moses Aribisala and Olorunfemi Festus, the party’s chairman and secretary in Akoko north-west LGA, respectively.

According to the letter, Agunloye’s suspension was based on a letter from his ward (ward 10) in Ondo, which recommended his suspension over alleged anti-party activities.

The letter from the ward was said to have been signed by Ajayi Adediran and Balogun Ojo, ward chairman and secretary, respectively, following a resolution after a meeting of the ward executive members.

“In line with Section 19, sub-section 7 of the 2018 Constitution of the SDP, and on behalf of the good people of Akoko North West where Dr Olu Agunloye comes from, we write to ratify his suspension as a member of the party,” the letter reads.

“Olu Agunloye is grossly fond of anti- party activities, of bringing non-party members into the party to usurp the functions of the party executives at the both state and local government levels, with the aim of causing confusion within the party, as evident in the aborted Friday, 9th April, 2022 congress election.

“Dr Agunloye, in his style, approaches, utterances and actions, has always been promoting the factionalisation of the party through direct administration of the affairs of the party in the local government and some other wards that are at the verge of collapsing as a result of divide and rule system of the National Chairman.”

Speaking with NAN on the development, Dele Ogunbameru, the Ondo state chairman of SDP, said the state working committee was concerned over “the endless catalogue of the unconstitutional actions of Dr Olu Agunloye”.

“It was on this note that the state executive committee met in an emergency session and also suspended the membership of Dr Agunloye from the party,” he said.

Reactiing via a text message to NAN, Agunloye described his suspension as “political rascality”.

“No. Nothing like that. l am presiding as national chairman in Abuja as we write. Besides, wards or local government or state cannot suspend. They can only recommend to the National Working Committee, which the committee can recommend to NEC (National Executive Council). Please, disregard political rascalities,” he wrote.

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