A few days after the state executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State suspended three of its members for alleged anti-party activities, the party’s Disciplinary Committee has written the three suspended exco members, inviting them to appear before it tomorrow, Monday, December 21, to defend themselves of the various allegations levelled against them.
The invitation letters dated December 15, 2020, signed by the Committee Secretary, Barr. Mustapha Ahmed Okandeji and made available to Vanguard yesterday evening, has already been received by the trio of Mr Muiz Shodipe, Barrister Taofik Gani and Mr Nurudeen Adewale, state Secretary, Publicity Secretary and ex-officio member respectively.
The state Chairman, Engr. Adedeji Doherty had said in a statement last Wednesday, that trio of Shodipe, Gani and Adewale was accused of “consistently and flagrantly breaching major provisions of the Party Constitution and have been found to have involved themselves in anti-party activities which could cause disunity among the party faithful.”
Present at the meeting, where they were suspended was 35 exco members who voted in favour of the decision and 18 out of 20 local government party chairmen who also voted in favour of the decision.
“All the members present, unanimously resolved to invoke the relevant disciplinary provisions as enshrined in the party constitution ie Chapter 10, Section (1), (2), (3) and (4) and Section 58, subsection (a), (b), (c), (f), (h), (i), and (j) as amended in 2017,” Engr. Doherty said.
Shodipe was accused of calling and attending an illegal meeting where the state Chairman, Engr Doherty, was purportedly removed as against the party constitution while the suspended Publicity Secretary was accused of issuing a press statement, lying that the chairman had resigned.
In the invitation letter received by the suspended state secretary, he was accused of “disseminating false and misleading information about the party with an intention to bring the name of the party to disrepute in the eyes of right-thinking members of the party and the General Public.”
The letter read in part: “That you (Muiz Dosunmu) derelict your constitutional obligation to the party by neglecting to attend validly Convened State Executive meeting by the State Chairman in line with section 21, subsection 2 and 3 and section 24, subsection 2 and 3 of the constitution of our great party.”
“On 16th of March 2020, you issued a notice of the State Working Committee and State Executive Committee meetings and deliberately absented himself without any official explanation.”
“On 18th August 2020, you deliberately absented yourself from validly convened State Working Committee as well as State Executive Committee meetings without stating or communicating the reason, in contravention of section 58 (1), (c)& (e) of our Party’s constitution.”
Also, a letter written by the Disciplinary Committee to the suspended State Publicity Secretary, Gani Taofik read; “Sequel to the letter dated 14th of December, 2020 from State Executive of the Party to the Disciplinary Committee, please be informed that you have been alleged of the following infractions:
“That you (Taofik Gani) have been working in collaboration with the State Secretary by Consistently Sending invitations for State Executive meetings in different Locations in Lagos without Consulting with Members of the State Executive Committee and the State Chairman.
“That you (Taofik Gani) sent out Invites and went on a rampage on the 23rd of August 2020. You called for a State Working Committee and State Executive Meetings at the State Secretariat slated for Monday 24th August 2020 without due constitutional consultation or approval from the State Chairman or State Executive Committee.
“That you (Taofik Gani) granted a Press Interview to the Nation Newspaper wherein he Declared Mr Gbadamosi (Aspirant for Lagos East Senatorial) as the Elected Flag Bearer of the Party in a far away 2023 Gubernatorial contest which prejudices the interest of other prospective future aspirants to the said office.
“That you (Taofik Gani) have failed to use the office of the Publicity Secretary to launder the image of the party but rather to demarket the party and diminish the integrity of the party as a viable alternative to the ruling party in Lagos State. You went on to the media to describe the Covid 19 palliative initiative of the party to assist the less privilege in Lagos during the pandemic as a ‘Fraud’ or ‘419.’
“That you (Taofik Gani) absent yourself from all SWC, State Executive meetings of the party and other official duties for more than Six (6) months without any apology.”
“In view of the above, you are hereby invited to appear before the State Disciplinary Committee meeting to defend yourself of the aforesaid allegations on Monday, the 21st of December, 2020 at the State Secretariat at No. 56, Adekunle Fajuyi Crescent Ikeja, Lagos state at 10 am prompt.
“Take notice that the provisions of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as Amended) and the Provisions of Chapter 10, section 57(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the constitution of our great Party (2017 Amended) guarantee fair hearing. Please, be assured of our esteemed regards always.”
