BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The chairman of the Labour Party in Osun State, Bello Adebayo, has been suspended for alleged anti-party activities by the Lamidi Apapa-led faction in the state.
Bello, who is loyal to Julius Abure-led national leadership of the party, had a few days ago announced the suspension of some members of the party who are loyal to Apapa for alleged anti-party activities and working against the election petition of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Addressing newsmen at a press conference on Tuesday, in Osogbo, Hammed Sheriff, the Ward 12 Chairman in Osogbo Local Government disclosed that Adebayo committed different categories of offences that were against the constitution of the party.
“Having found that Bello Adebayo committed some categories of offences, we are to act according to the constitution of our party, Labour Party. Article 19 1b subsections 2, 45 and Article 19 2b subsection 3,” Sheriff said.
Sheriff accused Bello of continuously absenting himself at ward meetings without cogent reasons for 10 times or more consecutively, carrying out anti-party propaganda or any other activities which could tend to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient organization of the party of which were inconsistent with the aims of the party.
“Due to the offences committed, we hereby suspend Bello Adebayo as member of the Labour Party in Ward 12 Osogbo Local Government,” the ward Chairman declared.
A female member of the party, who identified herself as the Acting Chairman of the party, Mrs. Suzan Ojo stated that Bello engaged in anti-party activities, forgery and perjury during the February 25 presidential election in the country.
She said, “Bello has forgotten that his anti-party activities in the July 22 gubernatorial elections still remain fresh in the memory of the party faithful and the Obidient Movements in the state. Before then, the attention of the party was drawn to his anti-party activities.
“Even the suspended National Chairman of the party, Barrister Julius Abure had made several efforts to remove him due to the role he played in the IPAC state elections in Osun and other serious allegations of anti-party activities slammed against his person.
“However, it was the swift intervention of the Osun State Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in the July 22 election and the National Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Akingbade Oyelekan that saved him. The duo objected to the move by Abure and that was why Bello still remained in that capacity until he was suspended. Bello in his usual dishonest feature started maligning these personalities in order to be in the good book of the party.
“We are reminding the public that the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, the National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim, and two others were indicted by the police investigation. The FCT High Court has stopped them from parading themselves as National Officers of the party.
“The Alhaji Lamidi Apapa-led Labour Party, however, suspended 12 members, including Acting National Publicity Secretary Comrade Obiora Ifo, one of the spokespersons for the Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo and state chairmen that attended the Delta State NEC meeting. In this regard, Bello Adebayo was part of those that attended the NEC meeting after several warnings.
“By the constitution of the party, he has been suspended and ceased to be the state chairman of the party in Osun.”
