The Ogun State branch of the Labour Party yesterday was thrown into pandemonium and deeper crises with the revelation of anti-party activities by both camps and faction of the party. With a woeful result from the state and its inability to deepen internal party activities in the state, the party was expected to go into some deep internal auditing and restructuring but alas, the expectations from what is currently playing out is more than meets the eyes and ears.
Firstly, it was the rushed endorsement of the candidacy of Dapo Abiodun of the APC for a second term by the suspended state exco of the party led by the suspended Acting National Publicity Secretary- Abayomi Arabambi.
It was gathered that the rushed endorsement became a necessity after the suspended excos of the party got wink of the planned endorsement of the same endorsement by the caretaker committee of the party led by Jagun Lookman.
It was discovered that the Jagun Lookman led caretaker committee alongside the Gubernatorial aspirant/candidate of the party Kehinde Shogunle whose candidacy will not be on the ballot after it was affirmed by the court on losing his case met with Dapo Abiodun on possible alliances and endorsement where with he was given the sum of N5million naira with promised N50 million naira should the endorsement pull through. Howbeit, it couldn’t because Dapo Abiodun insisted on having the originally recognised party leaders or that they all come together to present a front.
It is also noteworthy that this split within the caretaker committee and Kehinde Shogunle’s harmony whereby both side had to now send a separate delegation to meet with Dapo Abiodun.
Seeing that the narrative will not favour him – Kehinde Shogunle and the caretaker committee now resolved that since Dapo Abiodun is uncooperative about recognising them they will therefore pitch their tent with Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party where he Kehinde Shogunle and a delegation of the Caretaker committee met at Iperu where they were given a sum of N30 million naira.
Part of the deal was promised commissioner slots and appointments into key government offices.
Kehinde Shogunle in preparing and wetting the ground for an eventual announcement of their planned endorsement of Ladi Adebutu began to gauge opinions of party members in the state by selling narratives of alternative stronger candidacy albeit to subtly play into their minds to adopt by a consensus and announce.
This he did with his cronies using the Labour Party group and seeing that the first punch inflamed the people, they resorted to guerrilla tactics and gagging the people.
Meanwhile, the planned announcement leaked to party members as Crucible gathered that various media was awash with a prepared press statement signed by the party caretaker committee chairman and the caretaker committee secretary announcing the endorsement.
It was discovered that this back end deals were done without recourse to the party stakeholders and it was only necessitated by the aggravated greed of the caretaker committee and Kehinde Shogunle who was quoted that he will not like to lose on all fronts that he must use the opportunity to cash out likewise.
These episodes and many others similarly has exposed the greed and the desire for filthy lucre on the sides of both factions of the party. Namely, Ashade led suspended executive Committee and Arabambi the suspended Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party including Kehinde Shogunle, Jagun Lookman and his other strange bedfellows that are composed of the state caretaker committee. For all of them, it is all about the money.
It must be stated that these singular misguided endorsements have been vehemently resisted and rejected by the Local Government Chairmen and all candidates of the party who alleged that why were not carried along and that nobody in the party will make decisions over them in their jurisdiction without due and proper consultations.
It is now very clear that both camps are composed of individuals and personalities that do not have values and the correct principles that will usher in the New Nigeria being championed by Peter Obi the presidential candidate of the party whose mandate was stolen by a shambolic election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission- INEC.
These kind of men cannot continue to be at the helms of the party’s affairs if a strong, progressive party must be built.
