Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state has degenerated with the sacking of the Chairman of the party,Mr Ladi Lekuti.

Lekuti, reportedly accused of anti party activities, was said to have been sacked after a vote of no confidence was passed on him by 26 out of 37 members of the Local Government Executive Council.

Lekuti has debunked the allegations and his purported sack,declaring that he remains the chairman.

He accused the deputy Speaker,Ogun State House of Assembly,Tola Banjo for being the mastermind of his sack.

In a four-page petition signed by the Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the party in Ijebu Ode, Olanrewaju Adesuyi and Moshood Kazeem, the Chairman was accused of conspiring with the opposition party,Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to work against the party during the Presidential/National Assembly and Governorship/State Assembly elections.

“we wish to place on record that our action is devoid of any rancour,reservation or prejudice. This action is justifiably taken as the last resort in the utmost interest of our party after we have exercised all reasonable considerations and having given enough chance for peace and decorum and relying on provisions of the constitution of our party and the relevant sections in relation to the subject matter”,the statement read.

According to the petition,the Chairman was accused of attending a meeting with some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP at Obanta Club,Ijebu Ode on Wednesday 8 April, 2015 by 9:00pm.

He was also alleged to have collected N750,000 from them and conspired with them to work against the party,which resulted in the loss of the party during the governorship and House of Assembly elections on April 11,2015 in the area.

The petition read further,”…every member of the party knows that Ladi Lekuti’s wife,children and other members of his family are very active members of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP. Infact,his wife is a member of the Executive Council of PDP at the Local Government level.

“Two different flags of PDP are being hoisted and flying side by side of the only APC’s flag in front of his house. You will agree with us sir that this is indeed serious and unbelievable.

“To perfect and achieve his grand plan to see that our party loose the election in favour of PDP,Mr Ladi Lekuti and other purported leaders in our party changed and replaced the names of the originally agreed party agents and supervisors with names of the people he wished to use to carry out his game plan”,the petition revealed.

It was further disclosed that efforts by the party to give the Chairman free hearing proved abortive as he (Lekuti) failed to appear twice to defend himself against all the allegations.

Lekuti was said to have been suspended on April 29,2015 at a meeting of the Local Government Executive Council before he was finally removed from office on May 14,2015.

When our correspondent contacted the Chairman,he maintained that he is still the Chairman,added that they have no power to remove him from office.

He alleged that the incumbent deputy Speaker of the House, who lost at the last election has been engineering the boys to be acting immorally.

According to him,”I am still the Chairman,there is no doubt about that. I want to confirm to you that Tola Banjo is behind all these things you are hearing or seeing happening in Ijebu Ode. He was the one that has been propelling those boys,they have been beating people and harassing many since Tola lost the election.

“I have it on record with proof that he has been inviting them to his house in Abeokuta and has been promising them a lot of things. There is one Yomi Gold,a non indigene of Ijebu but just a friend to Tola,he toi has been deceiving people here,calling himself S.A.to Mr Governor. It is on this, they have been perpetrating a lot of bad things within the town.

“As I am speaking with you,I will be hosting the meeting of all the leaders from Ogun East today in our party secretariat in Ijebu Ode. Our leaders like Baba Elias,Asiwaju Awosedo and others are coming and they are coming to meet me as the party Chairman in Ijebu Ode here. No cause for alarm,I am still in charge”,Lekuti boasted.

He disclosed that all those alleged to have signed the petition were deceived to hqve done that,as they were told that all executives are to sign the paper,which was later attached to the petition.

Lekuti affirmed that about 85% of those signed there are innocent of what is happening,maintained that they should provide their evidences in all the allegations levelled against him.

Some of the signatories who spoke with PMNews expressed shocked over the development,as they exonerated themselves from the purported removal of the Chairman.