A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Phillip Alonge, has dispelled rumours concerning his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), emphasising that he has no intention of leaving the PDP.
Alonge said the widespread purported rumour was perpetrated by some ‘misguided and disgruntled elements’, saying he remains a committed member of the party.
The chieftain cleared the air on Monday while speaking with newsmen at Ugbe Akoko in Akoko Northeast local government area of the state.
Alonge, who contested the Ondo North Senatorial district election in 2019 on the platform of the PDP, berated the state working committee of the party led by Fatai Adams, over alleged sharp practices, wanton disregard for party members and restricting people to detect to the PDP in the state.
He also said since his henchmen were disturbed about his fabricated defection, there was a need to clarify the insinuation.
Alonge, stated further that he provided credible information to counter the speculation, saying the state chairman was credulous and he laid credence to the concorted perception.
He said, “despite providing credible information to the contrary, Fatai Adams refused to reconsider his decision to banish me from the Party without due process based on unverified rumors and lies that he and his cronies fabricated to feed their egos, satisfy their fantasies, and accomplish their political expediency”
“The Fatai Adams-led state working committee has ditched the party constitution, shredded the instituted civil rights, most importantly, freedom of speech, freedom of association, the right to exist freely without coercion and without being bullied, and access to due process”
“At no time in modern human history has a major political organization been run on shenanigans, finding members guilty of trumped-up charges without due process, and at no time in the history of Nigeria has people been bullied, and denied their rights, and summarily dismissed from the Party like what has happened in Ondo PDP in the past 15 months”
“The State Party Chairman has operated a guilty as charged approach to issues and acted with wanton disregard for the civil rights afforded the party members by the constitution of the Party and that of Nigeria”
“Alhaji Fatai Adams, and his cronies have turned themselves into the accuser, the prosecutor, the jury, and the judge. The worst and the scariest part of it is that they have also assumed the right to speak for the accused. This is tyranny in its most unrivaled form in the history of humanity”, he said.
Alonge, also said he instituted a law suit over his “improper expulsion“ from the party. Although, he disclosed that the suit came after exhausting internal approach mechanism to resolve the issue.
He added that despite meeting with the authority of PDP at all levels; just in a bid to nip the lingering crisis in the bud, the party neither replied nor reacted to his stance.
“Today, I have approached the judiciary because the Party’s internal issues resolution mechanism failed woefully. The Southwest and National bodies did not deem it fit to reply to my humble and wellmeaning request for resolution. At this point, i am committed to allowing the court to do justice to this matter. The court now, meaning the Supreme Court of Nigeria”
The party chieftain continued, “Fatai Adams has a penchant for abusing his office, bullying party members, and preventing people from joining the Party”
“For instance, in January of the year 2021, Fatai suspended five members of the Party for visiting with the former governor of Ekiti State, a PDP Chieftain, his excellency, Governor Ayodele Fayose. Six members visited the former governor to plan how to actualize their interests in the 2021 SW zonal congress.
“Unfortunately, Fatai took issue with the members for looking out for their interests. The sad part was that Fatai suspended them from the Ondo PDP because he saw pictures of these members with Governor Fayose on WhatsApp”
He stated, “Senator Nicholas Tofowomo attended the same meeting, but Fatai did not suspend Senator Tofowomo. Fatai suspended those he considered vulnerable including, Hon. Rasheed Elegbeleye (Ondo Assembly minority leader) Hon. Ebenezer Alabi, Mr. ibine, Hon Lad Ojomo, and Ayo Fadaka from the Party without due process and violated the party constitution”
He futher said, “I took him up on this matter, chastised him for his jaundiced minimalist and isolationist approach to party leadership. Also, | petitioned the PDP national Secretariat to caution or discipline him for violating our members’ civil rights and trampling on the freedom of association of these humble and law-abiding Nigerians”
“Ever since I appeared on the Ondo Political scene, Fatai Adams ox has been gored because | refused to yield to his extreme control tactics and methods. He has sought a way to diminish my influence or erase me from the People Democratic Party at every turn. Unfortunately for Fatai Adams, I am too big, bold, popular, and well-established in the Party for him to flush down his ignoble drain,” Alonge concluded.
Fatai Adams is yet to react as at the time of filing this report.
