The Lagos PDP spokesman added that the committee consequently confirmed Lagos PDP Vice-Chairman (West Senatorial District), Chief Sunday Olaifa, as acting chairman, pending the outcome of court cases.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter has ratified the suspension of its chairman, Pastor Philip Aivoji, and his deputy, Tai Benedict, pending the outcome of court cases.
The duo was suspended respectively by their ward executives on April 14 over alleged gross violation of the party’s constitution.
The chapter’s Publicity Secretary, Hakeem Amode, stated on Tuesday in Lagos that the State Working Committee reached the resolution after appraising the outcome of 2023 general elections.
He stated that at a meeting held on Tuesday, the committee deliberated on saving the soul of the party.
The Lagos PDP spokesman added that the committee consequently confirmed Lagos PDP Vice-Chairman (West Senatorial District), Chief Sunday Olaifa, as acting chairman, pending the outcome of court cases.
He stated also that the committee settled for Olaifa being the vice-chairman from the suspended chairman’s senatorial district.
Amode stated that the committee also constituted a seven-man disciplinary committee to look into all matters affecting the suspended officials.
Members of the disciplinary committee are Abayomi Kuye (Chairman), Esther Egbi (Secretary), Isiaka Shodiya, Princess M.A Coker, Messrs Kayode Ariwayo, Femi Oluokun and Segun Oriyomi.
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Amode added that the post-election disciplinary committee was expected to revert to the State Working Committee one week from the date of its constitution.
Members of the State Working Committee at the meeting were Olaifa, Agboola Akinpelu (Youth Leader), Ismail Olatunji (State Auditor) and Adio Salami (State Organising Secretary) and Amode.
“The five members in attendance constitute the majority of the nine members in the State Working Committee out of the original 14 members that can take the decision.
“Three of the original 14 members had decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby reducing the membership of the State Working Committee to 11.
“The embattled chairman and his deputy were part of the 11 remaining members and since they can’t adjudicate in their own case, only nine members were left to take decisions,” Amode said.
Some Lagos PDP leaders abandoned the party’s governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, on the eve of the March 18 governorship election to support either the Labour Party or the ruling APC.
