…says I can’t lead faction in a party I’m not a member
By Mumini AbdulKareem
Former chairman of Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Iyiola Oyedepo, last night, dissociated himself from report of the emergence of new PDP faction in the state.
The development last night hit many social media platforms and attracted various online comments.
Oyedepo’s letter of resignation from the PDP was subsequently posted online and the Facebook link to it was also referenced.
Oyedepo was a former factional chairman of the state chapter of the party which engaged in a long tussle with Sunday Fagbemi-led executive before the Senate President; Dr Bukola Saraki defected to the PDP.
He has since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was being touted as a potential Deputy-Governorship candidate of the party.
However, last night, report on many social media platforms reported the emergence of a new PDP faction purportedly led by Oyedepo laying claim to the structure of the party in the state.
The post added that their faction was ‘never dissolved, suspended nor expelled for any anti-party activities’ and ‘affirmed their loyalty and commitment to PDP towards victory come 2019.
The report added that the party ‘has since released names of their candidates for elective positions in the state and named Rukayat Romoke Sheu and Ramatu Bola Malik as the candidates for Kwara central and governorship positions respectively.
But reacting to the development last night, in a telephone interview, Oyedepo dismissed the report as fake while reiterating that he is no longer a member of the PDP.
According to him, ‘I am not in the PDP and I have made it known to everybody. I can’t be a member of a faction where I have nothing to do, how is that possible? This is fake news being concocted by some unscrupulous people and I cannot have led any faction in a party that I am not a member. I am not a party to whatever has been written about the issue,” he added.
Speaking further on the issue, the former factional chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi said he is no longer a member of the PDP and is not bothered about whatever is happening in the party.
In a telephone chat last night, Fagbemi said although they have left for APC, he was aware that the party executives they left were not dissolved before the Kola Shittu-led executive was formed.
“Although I have left the party and I no longer bother myself with what is happening there. I am aware that since our departure, the executives we left behind were never dissolved before this new one was formed and we believe that exco is still subsisting,” he added.
But a member of the APC who spoke in confidence on the issue because he was not allowed to speak officially to the press said the development might be a ploy by some leaders of the party in the state in collaboration with some national officers to also test the case in court especially after the court judgement in favour of the Balogun-Fulani-led faction last Wednesday.
“This might be a ploy for the APC to also test this option in court especially after the judgement of the APC faction was credited to the Balogun-Fulani-led faction. At this stage of the struggle, nothing can be thrown out or considered irrelevant,” he added.
Meanwhile, the state PDP chairman, Engr Kola Shittu told our reporter that the alleged action of the Oyedepo-led faction was an empty thought.
‘This must be an empty thought and we should not waste our time on that. They should have done that (going to court) four months ago, not now that the time with INEC has lapsed.
“And moreover, there is no case in court to that regard. This is strange to us because what they are saying does not make sense.”
