AKALA PDP FACTION DENIES EXPELLING BALOGUN, ADEOJO, OTHERS

The group which at a recent meeting in Ibadan announced the expulsion of eight chieftains of the party, yesterday made a u-turn denying the purported expulsion.

Speaking through the former Chief of Staff in the administration of Chief Alao-Akala, Dr. Saka Balogun, members of the faction said there was no time such decision was taken at the meeting.

He said: 'If such decision is to be taken, constitutionally, it is the National Executive Council of our great party that has the right to do so and not either the Zonal or the state that can sanction any member alleged to have been involved in any of the anti-party activities'

He said that; 'the intra-party crisis was a contributory factor to our unprecedented defeat during the last April elections in the state and since it is an open secret that we that are at this end of the party cannot do it alone, we should all ensure that those aggrieved leaders and members are returned to the party .'

Similarly, Chief Dejo Afolabi, Chairman of Akala faction, called on aggrieved members of the party to come together in the interest of the party and forget the past.

'The committee set up is not to witch-hunt or apportion blames but on a mission of fact-finding and peaceful mediation to make findings and enhance peaceful mediation to effect proper reconciliation in the state, Afolabi said.