PDP ACCUSES ACN OF PLAN TO FRAME UP ONI, OYINLOLA

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Southwest zone has accused the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) of planning to cook allegations of financial malpractice against the PDP National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and National Vice Chairman (South-west), Chief Segun Oni, saying: 'Any attempt to carry out the clamp down on PDP members in Osun and Ekiti States by the ACN will be resisted.'

The PDP, which also described criticism of the just concluded national congress of the party by the ACN as hypocritical and nonsensical, said: 'If according to the ACN, PDP that conducted open Congresses to elect its officers from ward to national levels lacks internal democracy, what does the ACN, which is solely owned and controled by a single individual and has not changed its National Chairman since 2005 lack?'

In a release issued by the Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kayode Babade, the party alleged that a meeting was held in Lagos on Sunday by ACN leaders, where the duo of Governors Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State were mandated to embark on a total clamp down on PDP members in the two states.

'We are aware of the meeting held by the ACN leaders in Lagos on Sunday, and the directive that evidences of financial malpractices against Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Chief Segun Oni must be made available at the next meeting slated for the end of this week.

'Also at the meeting, total clamp down of PDP members in Ekiti and Osun States was directed because of the emergence of Oni and Oyinlola as national officers of the PDP.

'While we are not against anyone from pursuing whatever allegation he has against Oni and Oyinlola, we however wish to state that, like their previous efforts, this new attempt to frame-up Oni and Oyinlola will fail,' Babade said.

While condemning the ACN for playing ostrich to the distatorship in the party and criticising the PDP that organised open congresses to elect its officers, Babade said: 'The South West PDP can remind ACN how it chose Chief Bisi Akande as its chairman eight years ago without an election.

'We can remind the ACN and its bunch of hypocrites that Chief Bisi Akande, who is the party chairman has been in that position for over eight years since when the party was AD, ACD, AC and now ACN.

'As AD, Akande's opponent, Shuaib Oyedokun was preparing his delegates for the convention only for him to learn that Akande had emerged.

'Up till now, the ACN has not deemed it necessary to renew that mandate of Akande. Or is he life Chairman of the party, like Bola Tinubu who is the life national leader, a post not recognised by the party's constitution?'