TheCable

The Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced Tunji Shelle, its chairman, with Kamaldeen Olorunoje, who was the party’s vice chairman in Lagos central.

After Shelle was accused of mismanaging election campaign funds and manipulating the party’s primaries last year, a disciplinary committee was set up to investigate the allegations.

Wahab Owonkoniran, secretary of the PDP in Lagos, said the report of the committee recommended that Shelle should not only be removed but also dismissed from the party. However, other members of the executive council decided not to send him away from the party.

“You will agree with me that this party has not been well-run before, during and after the election,” he said.

“We couldn’t continue under the leadership of a man who has led us to failure in five elections, so we decided to restructure this party and if we want to restructure the party, we had to take this decision.

“So we decided to act. As of today, Retired Captain Tunji Shelle is no more the chairman of the PDP in Lagos state.”

Meanwhile, Taofik Gani, the state publicity secretary, has described the action as null and void, calling on party members to discountenance it.

He also admonished those behind the “preposterous action” to retrace their steps and allow peace to reign in the party.

“The state chairman leading the present state executive has delivered the best unprecedented electoral result to the party members,” Gani said in a statement.

“It is therefore very irrational for anyone or persons in the party to try to create acrimony by claiming that the state chairman has not performed to warrant continuing in office.”

The statement also claimed the action of the committee which sacked Shelle contravened the provisions of the party’s constitution.

“The state chairman is a member of national executive committee (NEC) and can only be removed or suspended by the consent of the NEC,” it read.

“There is no NEC approval to the action. It thus stands, null and void. For the sake of clarity, Shelle remains the legitimate chairman of PDP in the state.”

PDP has been facing internal crisis both at the state and federal levels, since the conclusion of the 2015 general election, as it lost many states previously under its grip, while the opposition won the presidential election.