He’s a confusionist—Daniel

BY DAUD  OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA—The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party,  Ikpe Etokudo,  yesterday, declared the planned congresses of the party in Ogun State by the immediate past  governor,  Otunba Gbenga Daniel as illegal.

Etokudo also warned the state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, the state resident of the Independent National Electoral  Commission, and Directorate of State Services to steer clear of the congresses slated for Saturday.

But in  a swift reaction, Daniel  accused  the national  Publicity Secretary of  feeding  the public with wrong information and creating confusion among members of the Ogun State Labour Party.
The National Publicity Secretary in a release in Abeokuta, described Daniel as a  hijacker of the party, saying the National Working Committee of the party was  not organising any congress in the state pending the determination of an outstanding court case.

He said: “The national working committee hereby reiterates its earlier position that Ogun State Labour Party is not organising any congress on Saturday and that Ogun State INEC, Police, and Directorate of State Service should steer clear of the illegal congresses proposed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel  whose intention  is to hijack the party structures at all levels by all means.”

Daniel  in a statement by the factional Secretary, Michael Adegbola said: “As a disciplined political party, it is absurd to create unnecessary confusion within the party and make  things look as if there is crisis.”

“We should also ask, is the National Publicity Secretary speaking in his personal capacity in this regard as a member or executive of the Labour Party or speaking on behalf of the National Executive Committee or National Working Committee of the party? If so, when was he  given the mandate to do so, and where is the party resolution to that effect.

“We think the National Legal Adviser is well positioned to advise on matters of this nature, and not the Publicity Secretary who seems to have relocated his office to Ogun State for pecuniary advantages.
“It is crystal clear that the purported statement by the estranged National Publicity Secretary was meant to feed the public with wrong information and  create confusion among members of the Ogun State Labour Party.