Ogun State PDP Secretary Confirms Hijacking of the State Membership Registers from Ward Secretariats by Ladi Adebutu

The National Working Committee, represented by the National Organising Secretary, NOS, of the PDP in an effort to resolve the lingering membership registration tussles in Ogun State, has expressed shock over the announcement by the state Secretary, Dr. Sunday Solarin, that the membership register of state members of the party is in possession of the Ladi Adebutu-led faction of the party, rather than the Ward secretariat as stipulated in relevant sections of the party constitution. 

In particular, the statement by Solarin, a loyalist of Adebutu, is in contrast against provisions of Part 1 (2) of the party constitution which stipulates that “...A register of the members shall be kept at the Ward level of the party, and the register shall not be removed from the Ward secretariat”. 

It would be recalled that sometimes in March, the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections did petition the NWC regarding the none availability of membership registers for his supporters.

Following the petition, the NWC promptly issued a letter directing the State Working Committee, SWC, to register all new members ahead of the statutory membership registration exercise. However, the Adebutu faction held onto the register in total disregard and defiance to this directive.

The refusal prompted the NWC to forward another letter 13 May, 2024, I'm which it summoned the state party chairman and Secretary to the National Secretariat to explain why the express directive, as contained in the first letter, was not adhered to. 

While defending the non adherence, Dr Solarin allegedly confirmed that the membership registers were in “safe” keeping, alluding further that Otunba Jimi Lawal was not on the register because he is not a member of the party.

Prompted further, Dr Solarin confirmed that the registers will be distributed to Ward chairmen and secretaries on Thursday,  23 May 2024, which barely 7 days to the 30-day deadline provided for membership registration across the federation. 

The NOS reportedly ordered the state chairman to call a meeting of all the Ward chairmen and secretaries across the state and, hand over the membership registers to enable those who have not been registered to do so immediately.

Meanwhile, affected party members awaits Adebutu and State Secretary’s next move, either to release the registers to the ward chairmen and secretaries, or risk the NWC voiding them and issuing a fresh registration. 

Sources say, Ladi Adebutu, who is presently in London, is boasting that he has the entire PDP NWC in his pocket while party members are billed to attend Thursday, 23 May meeting at the party secretariat Abeokuta, to witness the distribution of the membership registers. 

"It is important to state that our patience is evaporating and any attempt to delay the release of the registers shall be resisted by all means possible.

"The directives of the National body of the party must be obeyed to register new and verify the old members. Nobody, no matter how rich or highly placed within the party will push us to another failed election circle," a party source told FreshNews.