Date: 2016-10-29

Chairmanship and councillorship aspirants under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state, have been urged to disregard calls for the payment of N25, 000 each to the coffers of the party.

The state's chairman of the party, Prince Sunday Fagbemi who spoke in Olorunsuwa on Friday said such directive did not emanate from the party's secretariat.

Fagbemi also advised party members to shun an unauthorised meeting of the party slated for next Monday by a chieftain of the party in the state, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo.

"We want to clarify that we, members of the state executive council of the party are not a party to the meeting which Oyedepo has fixed for November 1,2016.

"We therefore, urge members of our great party to disregard invitation to the illegal meeting. The chairmanship and councillorship aspirants under the platform of the PDP should also discountenance Oyedepo's call for the payment of N25, 000 each to the coffers of the party.

"Oyedepo's latest action is a further testimony to our position that the former chairman is only out to divide our ranks and polarise the party to achieve his selfish end. We know and it's obvious that Oyedepo is not working for the best interest of our great party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP)."

The party boss further said: "It's instructive to note that, even when he had more than enough funds to prosecute the 2015 general elections, he failed woefully as our party, regrettably could not even win a seat in the state House of Assembly.

"We also want to warn our genuine party members not to be carried away by the recent criticisms of the state government by Oyedepo. He was only doing that to seek government's attention and patronage.

"While we have our reservation about how the state government is running the affairs of our dear state, we believe the way Oyedepo was going about it is not the best."

Oyedepo, the PDP chairman said was only trying to cover his tracks as there are empirical evidences that he's a beneficiary of the Saraki political dynasty.

"It is on record that he rode on the back of the Saraki dynasty to become a commissioner during the tenure of former Governor Mohammed Sha'aba Lafiagi and a member of the state House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003.

"The party leadership will as from November embark on enlightenment visits to our branches in all the 16 local government areas of the state", added.