Hours after expelling Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, Ogun State chairman of the party, Michael Ashade, the Secretary, Feyisola Michael and the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, have been suspended for alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities.
The State Deputy Chairman, Lookman Jagun and four others reaffirmed Okupe’s membership on Friday, December 2, but suspended Ashade, Feyisola and Arabambi, citing anti-party activities.
Speaking at a press conference attended by Ogun Central Senatorial Leader, Ope Ijaola; Ogun West Senatorial Leader, Taofeek Oloyede; State Women Leader, Olori Bukola; and the state treasurer, Fesomade Gbadebo, Jagun said the decision to suspend Ashade, Feyisola and Arabami was taken after an emergency leadership and stakeholders’ meeting held in Abeokuta.
He said: “Rising from an emergency leadership and stakeholders’ meeting held today in Abeokuta, the party decided to axe these officers for various offences bordering on connivance with other parties, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress Government in the State to thwart the aspirations of Labour Party candidates in Ogun State as well as their various gross public misconducts and anti party activities.
“We consider their recent vituperation and interventions as scenes from their theatre of the absurd and their last dance of the macabre by making such insensitive, uncouth and laughable announcements on severely faulted and faultable premises.
“We dissociate ourselves and condemn its utterances and import in its entirety and declare it undemocratic, unreasonable, capable of threatening the peace and the democratic space of the country and of no substance and effect whatsoever.
“We hereby reaffirm and pass a vote of confidence on the Director General of the Obi Datti Campaign Organisation Dr. Doyin Okupe as well as the 11 notable members of the Party that are purportedly expunged.”
Arabambi was also asked “to hand over and hand off all matters in court on the listing of Labour Party candidates names for the 2023 Elections to prevent electoral failure of the party in Ogun State.”
Reacting to his suspension, Arabambi said: “Who are they? Do they have the powers to summon meetings? Do they have powers to suspend the state chairman or myself? I don’t even know them.”
