Ife PDP passes vote of no confidence on deputy governor, Wale Oladipo, others

The Ife Federal Constituency of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday passed a vote of no confidence on the state Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, former National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, and Ife East PDP Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde, over alleged anti-party activities.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held at the residence of the Osun East Senatorial leader in Ile-Ife. The document, signed by 39 party leaders in the constituency, including serving commissioners Hon. Biyi Odunlade and Hon. Dipo Eluwole, accused the three leaders of fraternising with Hon. Abimbola Ajilesoro, a House of Representatives member who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The communiqué reads in part:

“The party is dissatisfied with the actions and conduct of Hon. Bimbo Ajilesoro, Member of the House of Representatives, who defected from the party with the mandate freely given to him by our people.”

“Party leaders strongly condemn the invitation of thugs and hoodlums to the Ife Federal Constituency meeting by the Party Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde (a.k.a Benco), purportedly on the instructions of Prof. Wale Oladipo. This meeting was earlier scheduled to be held at the residence of the deputy governor.”

“The leadership is equally disappointed by the continued fraternity of Prof. Wale Oladipo, the Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, and the Ife East PDP Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde, with Hon. Bimbo Ajilesoro, who has since defected from the party.”

The leaders also alleged that loyal members who openly disassociated themselves from Ajilesoro after his defection were being victimised. They claimed such members, including Lawrence Omotosho, Adeyinka Adeniji (a.k.a Gbogbo Ebe) and Yakubu Olawusi, had been removed from government and party positions.

The communiqué further noted that party meetings in Ife East Local Government had been put on hold, allegedly weakening party activities in the area.

Resolutions

The meeting resolved that, in view of the alleged anti-party activities, which pose a “grave danger” to the party’s success in Ifeland, a vote of no confidence be passed on:

Prof. Wale Oladipo

Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi

Ife East PDP Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde (a.k.a Benco).

Reacting to the development, Prof. Wale Oladipo dismissed the resolution as unconstitutional and described the signatories as “jesters” with no authority to take such action.

“They are a bunch of jesters. We are all Ifes. How will an Ife man enter your premises, especially if it is a public place where they sell food, and you chase the person away? They are just joking. They are a set of jesters,” he said.