A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party in Osun State and Vice Chairman of the party, Barrister Wale Ojo has fired back at the Deputy Chairman of the party, Elder Sunday Akanfe Atidade over the crisis trailing the relocation of party Secretariat.
Ojo, in statement obtained by InsightMedia in Osogbo on Friday, said the leadership of the party under Atidade as the Acting Chairman initiated the process of relocating the party office.
The statement read, “The recent utterances of the Osun State Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Elder Sunday Akanfe Atidade and his persistent denials of his initiated actions on the relocation of Osun PDP Secretariat out of the private property of the Adeleke University Liaison office is appalling, embarrassing and immature in contents and intents.
“It is unfortunate that Elder Atidade who initiated the decision of the State Working and Executive Committee to move out of the property can turn around to allege Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo who was compelled to step-aside when some members jointly decided to avoid a situation where an interested party will be the landlord of the Party.
“It was Elder Atidade that led the members to series of meetings in Osogbo, Ibadan and Akure which gave the mandate to raise fund, negotiate with the owners of King’s Square and paid the rent. We are shocked and disturbed seeing Elder Atidade accusing Hon. Adagunodo of masterminding the relocation of the office out of the former secretariat when indeed he was the one who broke the news of the purchase of the property by the Adeleke family. Then, he did confirmed that the property will be renovated to serve as the Adeleke University Liaison office.
“At that meeting, Elder Atidade reminded members of similar situations during the era of the late Chief Layi Ogunrinade and Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa when the Party had to move its secretariat because the owners, Dr. Olu Alabi and Senator Iyiola Omisore signified their intentions to contest for governorship of the state under the banner of our Party.
“In the absence of the chairman and in acting capacity too, elder Atidade chaired no fewer than three meetings and was a party to the resolution to meet with the leaders of our Party to solicit funds for the purpose of the relocation of the secretariat. The amount that was raised , some of which were paid to his private account is well documented and also known to the deputy chairman. He took sitting allowance for all the meetings held at that time
“Even though truth is it’s own defence and one cannot rule out the possibility that some overzealous characters are behind the latest statement of elder Atidade on the secretariat, it is important to tell the deputy chairman and his handlers to stop playing to the gallery and making mocking of a our collective efforts.
“Pointing accusing fingers to the chairman over the action that he personally initiated is atrocious. To be more specific, the little delay we had in settling the present occupiers of a portion of the King’s Square building was responsible for our not moving in on time before the High Court sitting in Ikirun reinstated the chairman, Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo.
Enough of falsehoods, inhumane accusation and blackmail which do not dignify our great Party and also questions the integrity of all of us that were in agreement with the relocation and outright payment of the rent.
“As an established leader, if someone is arm-twisting Elder Atidade and setting him up against his own action, he should be firm enough to let them know that it is already too late to backtrack and deny his evidence backed involvement in the undertaking which he initiated and implemented during his shot-lived moment as the acting chairman.”
