Date: 2016-11-01

PDP Factions Claim Ownership Of Secretariat In KwaraThere seems to be no end in sight to the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state as the Sunday Fagbemi-led executive has forcefully taken over the party's secretariat at Asa Dam area of Ilorin.

Members of the party who are loyal to the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of PDP were converging on the secretariat early in the morning before the factional state chairman, Sunday Fagbemi stormed the party's secretariat amid wild jubilation by his supporters.

The jubilant PDP supporters and stalwarts were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as 'Akogun Must Go', 'Enough Is Enough' and 'Fagbemi Is Kwara PDP Chairman'.

Speaking with newsmen at the secretariat, the factional state chairman, Sunday Fagbemi said that his executive committee remains the authentic leadership of the state PDP.

Fagbemi explained that his committee was duly elected at the state congress of the party, noting that the appeal committee set up by the national body of PDP also affirmed him as the state chairman in its report.

Fagbemi accused the other factional chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo of fraternizing with the ruling party in the state, saying that as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, such act would not be condoned in the state.

In his reaction, the publicity secretary of the Iyiola Oyedepo-led executive of the Kwara PDP, Rex Olawoye, insisted that Oyedepo remains the authentic state chairman of the party.

Mr Olawoye disclosed that Iyiola Oyedepo was in Abuja attending a national meeting of the party and wondered why any group could forcefully enter the secretariat of the party when the party’s constitution stipulates normal taking over process.

He described the act as a coup and an invitation to anarchy but maintained that the PDP remains one in Kwara state and all their challenges would be surmounted in due course.