AKALA PDP FACTION INAUGURATES RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE, DENIES REPORT OF EXPULSION

Determined to ensure a speedy resolution of the crises that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, a faction of the party led by former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, yesterday, inaugurated a 17-man committee saddled with the responsibility of bringing together all aggrieved members.

While inaugurating the committee which has as its Chairman, the former chief of staff during the administration of Akala, Dr. Saka Balogun, the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Dejo Afolabi said the party believed it was desirable to pursue a course of action that would fast track a quick resolution of all differences that engulfed the party before, during and after the April election. This, according to him, was aimed at restoring harmony, peace and foster effective cohesion for the challenges ahead.

Afolabi added that members of the committee had been selected from across the different zones of the state to justify the spread of effective reconciliation, while adding that the committee was expected to submit its report within two months after its first sitting. He appealed to all aggrieved members of the party to give peace a chance and approach the committee for the resolution of their grievances in the interest of the party.

He said: 'I equally appeal to all sympathisers, party supporters and members to facilitate the work of the committee by ensuring that in all their gestures, they remain promoters of peace. The committee is not set up to witch-hunt or apportion blames, but on a mission of fact-finding and peaceful mediation to effect reconciliation.''

In his response, the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Balogun dismissed the report of expulsion of any member of the party. He said, 'let it be known that to the best of my knowledge, no member of the party has been expelled; the state PDP has no power to expel any of the aggrieved PDP leaders.'

He said the party never deliberated or even discussed any issue bordering on suspension or expulsion at its stakeholders meeting held on August 5, adding that the immediate past Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator Lekan Balogun and others had not been suspended or expelled from the party.

'I was at that stakeholders meeting but was surprised to have read in the newspapers that some of our leaders have been expelled from the party. I want to state that there was never a time such an issue was discussed at the meeting .The state cannot expel any of the party members as clearly stated in the PDP constitution,' he said.