…AS DANIEL REJECTS COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PEACE IN OGUN
It appears there is no end to the lingering crises in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State as the recommendations of a Reconciliatory Committee set up by the party was allegedly rejected by the state Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Sources close to the Committee, which met yesterday and submitted its reports said the Governor rejected the recommendations in its entirety.
The committee set up penultimate Saturday had Senator Ayodeji Otegbola as chairman with the former minister of mines and steel development, Alhaji Sarafadeen Tunji Ishola and Hon. John Obafemi and Dave Salako as members.
But in a swift reaction, an aide to the governor who spoke on the condition of anonymity said no politician in the position of Governor Daniel would accept the recommendations of the committee which, he alleged, was one-sided.
His words: 'At the appropriate time, our party, through our authentic chairman will react to the reports of the committee which was not in the best interest of the party, but in the interest of few greedy PDP members in the state.''
The development came just as a faction of the party, yesterday suspended the Secretary of another faction, Chief Pegba Otemolu for what the group described as anti-party activities.
The Bashorun Dayo Soremi-led faction, in a press statement released in Abeokuta yesterday after what it described as an Extended State Executive Council of the factoinalised party, said it became imperative that certain steps be taken by the leadership of the party. Otemolu is the Secretary of the factionalized-leadership of the party under the Chairmanship of Chief Joju Fadairo whose office is under contention.
Soremi, who also addressed journalists said: ''The harmonization was done by both parties, it was thereafter that Governor Daniel became unhappy and said he could not go ahead with the harmonisation.
Soremi added: ''That was what prompted the composition of an eight-man reconciliatory committee who submitted its reports and recommendations for the resolution of the problems of the party in Ogun State. The recommendations however, turned out not to be pleasing enough to Governor Daniel.
'The elders of the party who sensed danger in the forthcoming elections met today and after deliberations at our party's secretariat, we took some far reaching decisions, one of which was the suspension of Otemolu.
He said the suspension was necessary due to activities capable of derailing the electoral process of the party and dishonest attitude likely to cause disaffection and disunity among members of the party. The State Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Semiu Sodipe is to act as State Secretary until further notice.
''There is no doubt about it, Governor Daniel wants everything for himself. Politics is about give and take, but to him, this is not so. He wants to take all, this is not possible, Soremi observed..
Daily Sun reliably gathered that among the recommendations of the committee was that the state House of Assembly which was shut immediately after September 6 should be reopened, but the Daniel leadership allegedly said no.
It was also recommended that 'if Governor Daniel sincerely and genuinely want reconciliation, the House of Assembly must be re-opened under the leadership of the majority.' But Governor Daniel is afraid that if this happens, he may be impeached.
Speaking on the harmonizaiton of party positions in the state, Soremi said: ''that's a forgone conclusion. We have done the state harmonized executive council as directed by the leadership of our party that's why we have the power to suspend erring members of the party.