A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has declared that the controversial businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, is no longer a member of the ruling party in the State.
The faction led by Clement Faboyede is sympathetic to the Ahmed Markafi led group of the party at the national level.
Mr. Ibrahim belongs to the faction of the Biyi Poroye, which is being lead by the beleaguered Ali Modu Sheriff group, of the party.
The Faboyede led faction said the parallel primary election held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where Mr. Ibrahim emerged as the factional candidate of the party, amounted to little more than a “scam.”
Banji Okuomo, State Publicity Secretary of the party’s faction, stated this on Tuesday night in a press statement obtained by SaharaReporters in Akure.
Mr. Okuomo stated that an Akure High Court had stopped the process of the parallel primary election by issuing an injunction.
“Hence, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has declared Jimoh Ibrahim a persona non grata”.
He added that those who participated in the ”scam poll” were hired from the ghetto.
“The so called PDP parallel governorship primary held in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday August 29, 2016 is a mere scam. The governorship primary election held on August 22, 2016 in Akure, Ondo State that produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede as its flag bearer is the only authentic one.
“Apart from the fact that the so called primary election is illegal, having been impeded by an Akure High Court, more than 99 percent of those who participated in the scam were hired into Premier Hotels, Ibadan, venue of the Congress, from nearby hubs of hoodlums and touts in the town.”
The PDP Publicist explained that section 25 of the party’s constitution clearly stipulates those who are eligible to participate in the state governorship primary election.
He added that those who fall in such categories had already participated in the congress that produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, the anointed flag bearer of the party’s faction.
“It is also very important, at this juncture, to tell the whole world that Jimoh Ibrahim, the acclaimed candidate of the illegal parallel PDP primary is not a member of the PDP from ward to State level”.
Mr. Okunomo further argued that Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim had publicly declared for the Accord Party (AP) and was yet to renounce his membership.
He explained that Mr. Ibrahim had refused to follow the necessary procedure to rejoin the umbrella party stating that the constitution states clearly as regards the process of returning to the party.
“Cap 2, part 1 of the PDP constitution states that: "a person who desires to join the party after leaving it shall apply to his Ward Secretary for re-admission".
Mr. Okunomo described as “double standard” and “illegal” for a member of another party to pick the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
