By Kolade Olarewaju
ABEOKUTA—THE crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, yesterday,  deepened as the Chairman of the harmonised State Executive Council, Bashorun Dayo Soremi,  announced the suspension of the Secretary,  Chief Pegba Otemolu, for alleged anti party activities.

At a briefing in Abeokuta, the state capital after a meeting of the extended Executive Council of the party, Bashorun Soremi said that the suspension of Otemolu was due “to activities capable of derailing electoral process of the party, dishonest attitude likely to cause disaffection and disunity among the members of the party”

He announced the State Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Semiu Sodipo as the acting Secretary until further notice.
Bashorun Soremi said that the National secretariat of the party would be notified and  that the party had arranged the screening exercise of aspirants to take place at the Onikolobo Secretariat of the party in order to prevent it from being misled into taking actions that would be tantamount to contempt of a subsisting Court order.

He also said that venues of the ward congresses and various primaries have been compiled and were being forwarded to the National Secretariat to facilitate ease of operation.

Explaining were the far reaching decision were taken at the meeting which had in attendance prominent members of the party including Minister for Industries; Senator Jubril Martins_Kuye, Bashorun Soremi said that some members of the party led by Governor Olugbenga Daniel did not accept the recommendation of the 8 member committee set up at
the last reconciliation meeting held at the home of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He said that the report of the Committee headed by Senator Ayo Otegbola recommended that for a good reconciliation; the House of Assembly be reopened under the leadership of Speaker Tunji Egbetokun,
the harmonization of elective posts by the two groups and the sharing of the membership of the caretaker committees to be set up when the Local Government Councils are dissolved at the end of the month.

He said “when the harmonization of the Executive was done, the Governor said he would not accept which prompted the last meeting we held at Baba Obasanjo’s place. Some solutions that were recommended by the committee set up was not palatable and he said he was moving out of the negotiation “Daniel wants everything for himself, he refused the issue of the reopening of the house under Egbetokun because he is scared of impeachment and he wants the list of caretaker committee 100 percent” Prominent members of the party present at the meeting include; Alhaji
Sule Onabiyi, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Chief Dayo Abatan, Prince Buriji Kasham, members of House of Representative _ Mr. Dave Salako and Chief Segun Osibote_, former Secretary to the State Government; Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Navy Capt. Rasheed Raji  and Chief Babatunde Fadun.