‘We won’t accept illegality’: Crisis rocks Kwara PDP as excos reject planned congress

Barely three days to congress, all seems not to be well with the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as some executives of the party in Ilorin West Local Government protest against conducting a new congress.

The executives, who were elected in 2018, stated that the decision to conduct a fresh congress to usher in new leadership is against the party’s constitution that stipulated a 4-year term for every official.

In a letter signed by all incumbent vice-chairmen, secretaries, and youth leaders of the party in Ilorin West and obtained by this medium on Tuesday, they vowed to drag their leadership to court if they fail back down on the decision for a new congress.

The letter read partly, “We the concerned PDP members in Ilorin West wish to categorically and unequivocally say that the proposed congress of the party which is to be held on the 25th September, 2021 is nothing but an act of illegality as same is a fundamental contradiction of the constitution of our great party.

“As a starting point, it is often said that where there is no law, there can be no crime but where there is the law; there will always be a crime. It is also common knowledge that the constitution be it that of a country, of an association and/or political party is indeed the supreme law and it binds every party thereto.

“It is indeed settled beyond peradventure that our great party has a constitution that governs it at the National, State, Local, and Ward level. It is also not hidden that all members of the party are bound by the provisions of this constitution.”

Stating that the party constitution provided for four for every elective position, they added that no occupant of such position could be replaced before the expiration of the four years tenure unless in case of death or suspension due to offense.

The letter furthered, “Sir, it is a fact known to all of us in the party that the current excos have not exhausted the four years which they are constitutionally entitled to. It is also not a hidden fact that non of them is dead or suspended by the party. This is why it is very astonishing and shocking to discover that preparation to hold a congress for the purpose of electing new EXCOS is seriously at top gear.

“To remind you sir, the present EXCOS have just spent 2% years out of their four (4) years tenure. We are made bold to say sir that mathematically speaking, 22 years are less than four (4) years. The implication of this is that you want to replace the excos whose tenure has not expired. without a drop of hesitation, we are quick to say that this is flagrant disobedience to the constitution of our great party which we are not in any way prepared to take lightly within the realm of law the most worrisome of this issue is that it has not been evidently proved and/or shown that any of these excos is dead and/or have done something against the party that led to the suspension and/or expulsion of same from the party.

“In case you have forgotten Sir, we wish to humbly remind you that no member of our great party inclusive of your humble self no matter how powerful he/she may be is above the constitution and anything done and/or planned to be done that is not in conformity with any of the provisions of the constitution is null and void.

“Sir, it is obvious beyond doubt that the proposed congress scheduled to be held on the 25th of September, 2021 on the ground that the tenures of the Excos the replacement of which is the basis for the congress have not expired. We wish to quickly remind you that you cannot put something on anything and expect it to stand; for sure it will definitely fall.

“TAKE NOTICE that you are to with immediate alacrity shelf your illegal proposed congress by giving it a permanent place in the cemetery and consequently give same a befitting burial with an imaginary casket.

“TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that in the unlikely event that you refuse and/or fail to do the needful as demanded in the latter paragraph, we the concerned members of our great party will not take it lightly within the realm of law as we’re prepared to set all the necessary legal machinery in motion with a view to seeking redress against you because posterity will not forgive us if we fold our arms and allow illegality to De perpetrated within our party. The state party leadership needs to reverse these exclusions within 48 hours before proceeding to another court action. A word is enough for the wise.”