The Ondo State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has suspended its governorship candidate, Olugbenga Edema, and his running mate, Rotimi Adeyemi, citing alleged violations of the party’s constitution.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Also affected by the suspension is a party chieftain, Israel Ayeni, who was accused of engaging in similar misconduct.
Naija News reports that the suspension was announced in a statement signed by 12 members of the State Working Committee (SWC), led by the chairman, Peter Olagookun, on Tuesday.
According to the party, the decision was reached during an SWC meeting held in Akure on Monday, where the three party members were found to have contravened key provisions of the NNPP constitution.
The statement outlined three major reasons for their suspension:
– Unauthorized use of the party’s name without consulting the appropriate stakeholders at both the state and national levels.
– Filing a lawsuit against the party without first exhausting internal conflict resolution mechanisms.
– Engagement in anti-party activities that undermine the party’s interest.
Speaking on the development, NNPP State Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Oluwayomi, maintained that no member would be allowed to use the party’s platform recklessly.
“Our constitution must be respected, and nobody will be permitted to act outside of the laid-down rules,” he stated.
Edema Rejects Suspension, Calls It Politically Motivated
Reacting to the decision, Olugbenga Edema dismissed the suspension, insisting he had not been officially informed.
“I am not aware of any suspension. If they claim I violated the party’s constitution, which panel did they set up to hear my side of the story? Fair hearing is a fundamental right,” he argued.
Edema further challenged the legitimacy of the suspension, stating that only his ward, not the state leadership, had the power to suspend him.
“This is purely political. It is all because of my case against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, but they will all fail. As far as I’m concerned, I remain a bonafide member of the NNPP,” he declared.
Edema is currently pursuing a legal challenge at the Federal High Court, seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Governor Aiyedatiwa and his running mate, Olayide Adelami, from the list of candidates who contested the November 16 governorship election.
His suit is based on the interpretation of Section 15 of the Third Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) regarding the nomination process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
The INEC, APC, Aiyedatiwa, and Adelami have been listed as defendants in the legal battle.