A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala on Wednesday inaugurated a 17-man committee saddled with the responsibility of resolving the rift within the party in the state.
The committee is chaired by the former Chief of Staff during the administration of Alao-Akala, Dr. Saka Balogun.
In his speech at the inauguration, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Dejo Afolabi, said it was necessary to resolve the problems of the party before, during and after the April polls.
The step, he said, was aimed at restoring harmony, peace and cohesion with the vision of building a strong force against the challenges ahead.
Afolabi explained that members of the committee were selected from the zones for effective reconciliation.
According to him, the committee is expected to submit its report within two months after its first sitting.
Afolabi 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 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 victimise or apportion blame, but on a mission of fact finding and peaceful mediation to effect reconciliation.”
The chairman of the reconciliation committee dismissed the report of expulsion of some members of the party.
Balogun 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 that the party did not deliberate nor even discussed any issue bearing on the suspension or expulsion at its stakeholders meeting held on August 5.
According to him, the immediate past Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator Lekan Balogun and others have not been suspended nor were they expelled from the party.
He said, “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.”
By Akinwale Aboluwade, Ibadan Courtesy Of: Punch
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