By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
In a swift twist, the Ogun State chapter of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) has voided the suspension of a chieftain of party in the state, Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal, less than 24 hours after the state chairman, Otunba (Dr) Femi Soluade, announced the purported suspension.
Soluade had in a press statement on Saturday declared Jimi Lawal, an ex – aide of former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El – Rufai, suspended from the ADC over allegec anti – party activities and attempt to hijack the leadership structure of the party in no fewer than two Local Governments(LGAs) in the state.
Not content with suspending Lawal, Soluade also announced the appointment of a Caretaker Committee alongside several State and Local Government officers in the affected LGAs.
However, reacting to the development through a statement by the state publicity secretary of ADC, Hon. Olumide Onabajo, the party declared the suspension as “null, void, and of no effect whatsoever,” adding that Jimi Lawal “remains a respected and bona fide leader and member of our great party.”
The state ADC stressed that there was no time the party chieftain was validly suspended, even as it also pointed out that no constitutional process was ever initiated or concluded to warrant such action.
According to the statement, the Constitution of the ADC does not empower the State Chairman, acting unilaterally, to suspend any member of the party let alone a leader of the stature of Otunba Jimi Lawal.
It urged party members, stakeholders, supporters and the public to disregard the reported suspension, dismissing the action as illegal and unconstitutional.
The party also deemed all appointments, announcements, suspensions, or restructuring purportedly made by Soluade as unconstitutional, illegal, and something that cannot stand.
It explained that the suspension of any member must follow laid-down constitutional procedures, including due process, fair hearing, and ratification by the appropriate organs of the party, stressing that none of those conditions was met in the present case.
The Ogun ADC, therefore, reassured that it remains committed to inclusiveness, internal democracy, due process, and respect for its constitution.
