Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Conference of Ekiti PDP Local govt party Chairmen, has, disowned the purported factional swearing in and inauguration of 155 out of 177 Ward Executives in Ekiti State.
The chairmen disclosed that the processes did not fulfill the constitution of the party, which stipulated four years tenure in office for executives.
In a statement signed on Friday by the Chairman of the Forum and Ekiti South West LG PDP Chairman, Hon. Idowu Festus Akinbode (JP), the exercise was described as rash and lacking the merits of a constitutionally defined procedures.
The statement read : ” We are aware of the fact that the tenure of the out going ward Excos ends by midnight of Thursday, April 30th, 2020.
” Inaugurating new Excos around 8:00 am of Thursday when the tenure of the outgoing Excos has not ended amount to an abuse of our party constitution which stipulates four years tenure in office.
” We are also aware of the pending court case against the inauguration of the new Excos.”
According to the statement, Akinbode further clarified that the State’s Chairman, Barr Gboyega Oguntuase, did not receive any letter from the National Secretariat effecting the directive.
“The state PDP Chairman in his press release on Thursday, said he did not receive any letter from the National Secretariat mandating or directing him to inaugurate the new Exco and that he would not run foul of the court case pending at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti.
” Therefore, the 16 Local govt party Chairmen concluded that the purported swearing in / inauguration is null and void and of no consequence until the case at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti in respect of the above is decided.”
Akinbode, however, urged party faithful and residents to further abide by directives of government and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on COVID-19, to combat spread of the pandemic.
“We, therefore urge our teeming party faithful to be law abiding, stay safe, maintain social distancing, wash hands with soap regularly till you hear further directives from the state Chairman, Barr Gboyega Oguntuase,” the statement advised.