Gloria Ogbu
The Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State, yesterday, expelled the Director-General of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Dr Doyin Okupe and 11 others from the party over alleged nonfinancial membership status, high-handedness and financial recklessness.
The state chairman of the party, Michael Ashade, who announced this in Abeokuta said, Okupe ceased to be the party’s member after his failure to meet the mandatory constitutional requirements to fulfill membership status.
Ashade, together with the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Abayomi, and the state secretary, Feyisola Michael, said Okupe, having failed in the payment of his membership dues for the last six months of joining the Party, has forfeited his membership of the party and no longer fit and competent to continue to act as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council.
The party chairman also accused him of financial recklessness with respect to funds approved for the Ogun LP State on the mobilisation of members for the Oyo State rally held last week at Ibadan.
Others expelled with Okupe are: Abayomi Collins, Hon. Abel Olaleye, Jagun Lookman, Olori Oluwabukola Soyoye, Mr. Gbadebo Fesomade, (former State Treasurer) and Mr. Abdulmalik Olaleye (former State Youth Leader).
Others are Mr. Jide Amusan( former State Publicity Secretary) Mr. Adeshina Wasiu Shojobi (former Asst State Youth Leader), Miss Deborah Adewale, (former Senatorial Women Leader Ogun East) and Mr. Olatunde Abolade (former Asst State Secretary).
He said, “Article 9(3) iii of our Party’s Constitution states as follows: ‘only members who pay their monthly membership dues at rates prescribed shall be deemed to be bonafide members of the party. Arrears of dues of up to six months shall lead to forfeiture of membership.’’
“Despite repeated demand from various meetings I had with Dr. Doyin Okupe in respect of his mandatory constitutional requirements to fulfill membership status, he has failed woefully in this regards with some others to flagrantly disobey the Constitution of Labour party.
“In line with article 19(3) of the Labour Party constitutional provision, we declare that Dr. Doyin Okupe, having failed in the payment of his membership dues for the last six months of joining the party, has forfeited his membership of the party and no longer fit and competent to continue to act as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
“We hereby notify our National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure and Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that it’s expedient to obey the Constitution of the party by immediately appoint another DG for the PCC and that should come from the North to reflect Federal Characters and political balance.”