The lingering crisis rocking New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ondo State Chapter has assumed another dimension as leaders and party faithful from Ondo Central Senatorial District and other five local government areas of the state threatened to dump the party.
Daily Independent gathered that the leaders and members of the party were threatening defection as a result of alleged misconduct and abuse of office by the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Peter Olagookun.
Olagookun was alleged to have unilaterally turned NNPP in the state to his family affairs, constituting a cabal that sidelined other leaders and elders of the party in the state.
Rising from an emergency meeting of Elders and Leaders including all the Chairmen of the party in Ondo Central Senatorial District and other five local government areas of the state in Akure on Monday, the elders and leaders they disassociated themselves from the state activities of his Chairman, Hon. Peter Olagookun.
According to a statement issued and signed by Mr Olaleye Oluwafemi on behalf of the leaders of the party, the elders said they were disassociating themselves from all the activities and decisions of the state Chairman henceforth.
The statement reads in part: “We the aforementioned leaders in Ondo Central and other five local government areas of the state in NNPP wish to state unequivocally that we are disassociating ourselves from all the activities of the state Chairman, Hon. Peter Olagookun due to abuse of office and misconduct.”
The elders, therefore, appealed to the party’s National leadership and members of NNPP in the state to prevail on Hon. Olagookun to refrain from taking any action on their behalf and that of the said local governments and Ondo Central henceforth.
But the state chairman has dismissed the group of elders and leaders as suspended members who engaged in anti-party activities.
According to Olagookun, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, “This group of people are party members who have been suspended from the party due to anti-party activities.
“This is the election period, people are bound to come up with different strategies to have their ways in political activities.
“They are not known to us in New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Ondo State chapter. I am the state chairman and I know all members of our party.”
Meanwhile, the state Secretary of the party, Adekunle Oluwayomi had recently tendered his registration.
In his resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Adekunle wrote that “I, Adekunle M. Oluwayomi, New Nigeria People’s Party Ondo State Secretary would like to inform all the members of NNPP Ondo State chapter that I will be resigning from my position as State Party Secretary based on the following reasons explain below
“As you are aware of the misunderstanding that happened in the State Secretariat last time, due to the abuse of office by the state Party Chairman, lack of understanding of self-leadership in the State, failure to accept responsibility, not listening to an individual concern of the party members, poor influencing from the top, lack of strategic thinking and poor conflict resolution from the south-west party leaders.
“I would like to thank you all for your support and for offering me this valuable position till this time.
“Please accept notice of my resignation and I thank you for the opportunity given to showcase my potential. My political future movement will be announced to you later.”
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