Southwest PDP Chair, Filani, Removed

The Southwest Zonal Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has removed its chairman, Chief Ishola Filani.

The Southwest Exco disclosed this in a communique at the end of an extra-ordinary meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The committee was inaugurated in February last year.

The meeting, which was attended by13 members of the zonal committee, passed a vote of no confidence on Filani.

The meeting, which was presided over by an ex-officio, Ayotunde Olowofoyeku, subsequently, appointed the former treasurer, Lanre Orimoloye, as acting chairman.

The zonal executives accused Filani of running a one-man show, adding that he refused to call meetings, contrary to the provisions of the partys constitution.

In his reaction to the development, Filani said he did not know how the committee came to the conclusion.

I was not at the meeting. I dont know how they came to that conclusion, he said.

The communiqu issued by the committee reads: The meeting is being held in accordance with Section 27: 3 & 4 of our partys constitution, which authorises the two-third majority of our members to convene a meeting.

The Zonal Executive Committee hereby urges Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to declare his intention to contest the 2015 Presidential elections, stating that the SW (Southwest) Zone will give him all necessary support.

The Zonal Executive Committee congratulates the good people of Ekiti State, our party and the Governor-elect, Dr. Ayo Fayose, on the victory of our party in the June 21st, 2014 gubernatorial election.

In the same vein, the Zonal Executive Committee hereby congratulates our party and the gubernatorial candidate Senator Iyiola Omisore on the significant success recorded in the August 9th, 2014 gubernatorial elections in Osun State. The zone equally gives support to the partys efforts to reclaim our mandate at the tribunal.

The meeting also reviewed the activities of the zone since the emergence of the caretaker committee. It noted that Mr. Chairman, Chief Ishola Filani, has been running a one-man show and has not carried the members along in the running, finance and other statutory issues of the zone.

In the light of the above, the meeting hereby passes a vote of no confidence on the chairman, Chief Ishola Filani.

Finally, for the smooth running of the zone, the meeting hereby appoints Lanre Orimoloye the Zonal Treasurer to act in his place and Ayo Olowofoyeku, the Zonal Ex-Officio from Osun State to Act as the Zonal Treasurer.

The communique was signed by the 13 members present at the meeting.

They include the Secretary, Chief Adepegba Otemolu; the Women Leader, Chief Wunmi Osinroluke-Euba; the Financial Secretary, Otunba Banji Obasanmi and the Publicity Secretary, Waheed Lawal, a lawyer.

Lawal said, by the development, Filani would now attend meetings as an ordinary member.