Former Peoples Democratic Party Secretary in Ekiti State, Dr. Tope Aluko, on Friday raised the alarm over alleged plan by the outgoing State Working Committee led by Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase to manipulate ward congress scheduled billed to begin on Saturday.
Aluko, who is a state chairmanship aspirant, accused Oguntuwase of making moves to alter the authentic PDP members’ register by removing and replacing names in favor of its preferred aspirant.
The former PDP scribe said, “I wish to bring to the attention of PDP members in Ekiti that the Oguntuwase-led SWC is making moves to alienate some teeming loyal PDP members from participating in tomorrow’s ward congress to satisfy their paymaster.
“This sad development could be regarded as the highest of impunity and plot to impose chairman at the party. This was the same practice that nearly consumed our party.
“There is no specific role in the party constitution for the SWC as regards congress. It is supposed to be the affairs of the National Working Committee through the congress committee. But I am surprised that the SWC is saying aspirants should return the forms.
“I am not surprised by the desperation being displayed by the Oguntuwase-led SWC with a view to foisting chairman on the party since their paymasters have realized their preferred aspirant do not enjoy desired acceptability among members of the party”, he said.
Aluko, however, urged members of the party in Ekiti State to vote for a credible executive at the party congress, saying “the bastion of any political party is reflected in the type leadership elected at the grassroots level”.
But Oguntuwase, who described the allegations as baseless, spurious and tissues of lies, said the party did not have preferred aspirant.
Oguntuwase assured that the guidelines set for the conduct of the congresses by the party’s legal framework would be strictly adhered to in ensuring the congress stand the test of credibility and transparency.
