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The crisis rocking Labour Party (LP) in Osun State took another turn yesterday as the Chairman, Prince Bello Adebayo, was suspended over anti-party activities and alleged embezzlement of N34 million allowance for polling agents in the 2023 general election.
Adebayo’s suspension was conveyed by party executives in his Ward 12, Osogbo Local Government Area, chaired by Hammed Sheriff.
Addressing reporters yesterday, Sheriff said: “Our suspending Bello Adebayo is hinged on Article 19(1B)(2B) sub-sections 2,3,4 and 5. He carried out anti-party propaganda and his failure to attend ward meeting about 10 times without cogent reasons.”
Subsequently, chairmen of the party across all local government areas, led by Raheem Taiwo-Ojo, passed a vote of confidence in the Acting State Chairman, Chief Sussan Ojo, and dissociated themselves from the ‘illegal’ suspension of the party’s National Legal Adviser, Akingbade Oyelekan and Sussan Ojo, by Adebayo.
Chief Ojo also alleged that the N4 million for publicity, released by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to Adebayo, was not paid to the LPPCC and, after the election, N30 million meant for polling agents given to Adebayo was embezzled.
“Comrade Lane Fadahunsi, who is the Southwest Coordinator of Big Tent, and Chairman of Media Committee of the LPPCC, Jimoh Babalola, featured on both radio and TV stations marketing Peter Obi and canvassing for votes. The funds spent on this were not given by Adebayo (as it was promised), it took the intervention of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Spokesman Dr. Umar Tanko, before he released part of the money.
“Also, polling agents tasked with the responsibility of submitting Form EC8A after the elections were not compensated despite the fact that he was given N30 million to pay them. Now the leaders of LPPCC are being chased around by these agents while Bello had collected and cornered their money.”
But Adebayo debunked the allegations, saying: “There’s no substantial executive for ward 12, all executives in Osogbo local government area are unhappy. Their tenure has expired because they didn’t even make the congress which was May last year. So there is no substantial executive for ward 12, and that is one of their failures.
“The only money sent to us then was N300,000, by Chief Akinosun Tokun, so the evidence is there and they can contact him. Aside that, I don’t know what transpired during the January presidential campaign. They have no locus standing to suspend any elected officers in Osun.”
Peoplesmind
