…Agunloye kicks
The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dissolved the National Working Committee led by the suspended National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, over the lingering crisis rocking the party.
The decision was announced at an emergency NEC meeting held in Abuja and presided over by the party’s National Financial Secretary, Ibrahim Biu.
“The NWC, by this resolution, stands dissolved. We hereby nominate the following persons to take charge of the affairs of our great party, and to move the party forward,” he declared.
“Others are Judith Shuaibu (National Publicity Secretary), Ibrahim Biu (Financial Secretary), and Eluwa Ifeanyi (National Youth Speaker).”
Biu told journalists that it was unfortunate the NEC took such a drastic measure following failed attempts to resolve the internal crisis.
“In the last couple of months, our party, unfortunately, was engulfed in a leadership crisis. You are fully aware, somehow, that the party has been factionalised. A group loyal to the National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye, suspended the National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, on allegations of misappropriation and fraud. On the other hand, the national chairman debunked those allegations and equally considered the so-called appointments made by the group of the secretary as illegal. “That resulted in a kind of scuffle to the extent that the two groups clashed at the National Secretary of SDP. That created a crisis that security operatives had to intervene”, Biu stated.
He noted that despite efforts by the NEC to reconcile the factions, the crisis has severely damaged the party’s image and progress.
In a related development, the NEC also announced SDP’s withdrawal from any form of alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition, which includes the African Democratic Congress.
Addressing journalists, the Deputy Chairman, Abubakar Dogara, clarified the party’s position.
Meanwhile, the embattled National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye, has rejected the dissolution of the NWC, insisting the action holds no legal weight.
Agunloye disclosed this in a statement released in the wake of the NWC dissolution on Friday.
According to him, the NEC members were loyalists of the other faction carrying out a hatchet job.
He said, ‘This is to let members of the National Executive Committee of our great Party know that the National Working Committee at its meeting passed a resolution, dissociating itself and the national leadership of the Party from the so-called NEC meeting in Abuja.
