the president of Democratic Action Party (ADP) in Ekiti state, Olakunle Abegunde, has renounced his party membership, accusing the party’s national leadership of incompetence.
His resignation came a few days after the party’s deputy gubernatorial candidate Idowu Afuye left the ADP for the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the arrogance of gubernatorial candidate Kemi Elebute-Halle.
Abegunde’s resignation also came a few days after he received a suspension letter from the party’s national headquarters.
The letter, dated May 14, 2022, was signed by the party’s national secretary, Víctor Fingesi.
“I am ordered to inform you that you have been suspended as President of the Democratic Action Party in Ekiti State as of May 14, 2022,” the letter said.
The letter noted that preliminary investigations by a panel found Mr. Abeguinde responsible for insubordination to the party leadership.
He said the conflict official refused to honor an invitation from the national headquarters in Abuja to discuss the problems facing the party in Ekiti state, in contravention of articles 48:11, 48:2, 52:2/ al, of the ADP Constitution.
It also charged him with attempting to hold a state party conference outside of the schedule approved by the National Labor Committee (NWC), in contravention of the ADP Conference Guidelines and Articles 52:2(a). tcl, (d) of the party constitution.
It was also said that he did not inform the national headquarters of the defection of the APC vice-governor candidate.
Abegunde was also expected to appear before a disciplinary committee on Wednesday in Abuja.
But at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, Abegunde said his defection along with other executive party members was due to the alleged “inadequacy and gross incompetence of the national party body.”
He said that he and other aggrieved members would soon announce their new political party after due consultation.
He said his suspension was not justified, especially since he had only funded the party in the state since 2017.
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“Normally, I should not have acted on the letter, which was not intended for me, as it was misdirected to someone else. But am I to continue under these kinds of puppets?” he said
“The party has never given any kobo to the state, despite all the revenue due to it from the state and other states of the federation.
“Given the excruciating mismanagement and inadequacies that characterize the party’s leadership, I would have resigned my membership about three months ago, but realized doing so could negatively affect the party’s candidate efforts in the upcoming election.”
Ms Elebute-Halle had previously rejected her running mate’s defection, saying it did not meet the requirements of the law.
She said that Mr. Afuye should know that his name has been published by INEC and his nomination remains as the ADP candidate for lieutenant governor.