In the last couple of weeks, there have been clear indications that things have fallen apart yet again within the Ogun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the centre can no longer hold.

The palpable tension that has gripped the party has its roots in the suffocating grip that Hon. Ladi Adebutu has on the party. He pretends to be the pearl of the party whereas he is the problem of the party.

The internal wrangling blew open weeks back when Adebutu spurned and shunned a stakeholders’ meeting called by the State Chairman, Hon. Ogundele and instead tried to use one Samson Bamgbose who claimed to be the State Deputy Chairman to call another meeting in the Chairman’s name.

Again, last Friday, the State Secretary, Dr. Sunday Solarin, who is obviously an employee of the Adebutus, tried vainly to paint the picture that all was well within the party. But, no sooner had he fed the public with his cocktail of lies than the lid on his lies was blown open by the State Chairman, Hon. (Dr.) Sikirulai Ogundele, who denounced the statement, describing same as “unauthorised”.

In the ill-advised statement, Solarin tried to paint a picture of unity and cohesion within the Ogun State PDP and mischievously commended the State Chairman, Hon. (Dr.) Sikirulai Ogundele for allegedly managing the “just concluded membership registration and revalidation”.

Predictably, he (Solarin) went on to single out his paymaster, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, for commendation, for allegedly donating 100,000 party membership cards.

However, the State Chairman Ogundele replied swiftly, denouncing the less- than-clever move to lump him into the stage-managed process that was restricted to members of the Ladi Adebutu Dictatorial Organisation (LADO).

Specifically, he said, “I wish to state categorically that I did not authorize the statement, nor was I aware of its motive. The use of my name and office is deceptive and misleading. The facts are as follows;

“That I am not aware of any 100,000 membership cards donated by Hon. Ladi Adebutu.

“Ogun State membership registration can not be concluded today, 31st May 2024, because thousands of our party supporters are yet to be registered across the state.

“The NWC released additional 100,000 membership cards to my humble self on Tuesday, the 28th of May 2024, activating massive registration of new members who were sidelined across the state.

“⁠I am confident that the NWC will review the Ogun State situation considering the fact that registration commenced on Tuesday the 28th of May against the 1st to 31st of May 2024 as directed in the published timetable.

“⁠I hereby call on all new and old members to disregard the unauthorized press statement signed by Dr. Sunday Solarin.”

Flowing from the above, it is a no-brainer that all is not well within the Ogun State PDP and there is an urgent need for all men and women of goodwill to rally round the party, as represented by Ogundele, to address the issues once and for all.

For one, it is abnormal for the State Secretary to issue a statement or act without consulting with the State Chairman in the discharge of the duties of his office, as stipulated by Article 36 (1) (g) of the party’s constitution.

When the late Senator Buruji Kashamu was alive, he was erroneously thought to be the problem of the party.

But, four years after his death, the crises plaguing the Ogun State PDP have continued unabated.

The crises plaguing Ogun State PDP have continued between Ladi vs Segun Seriki, Ladi vs Segun Showunmi, Ladi vs Gbenga Daniel, Ladi vs Jimi Lawal and most recently Ladi vs Adekunle Akinlade – his running mate in the just concluded general election!

Observers have said what we have in Ogun State is not a party but Lado Adebutu Dictatorial Organisation (LADO), peopled by Hon. Ladi Adebutu and his lickspittles. Anyone who is not ready to bow, tremble and kowtow at the feet of “the principal” is seen and treated as an outcast.

Others say that Ladi Adebutu has turned the erstwhile national party into his private business, collecting funds from his father in the name of the party and charging aspirants millions of Naira for the ticket to run for elections on the party’s platform.

Ladi Adebutu and his minions are the real problem of the party. Pundits say they have held the party down, breathing down its neck for too long.

These hangers on and their master see nothing wrong in one man being a perpetual governorship candidate and leader of the party. He singlehandedly determines who gets what as it relates to the three senatorial candidates, nine House of Representatives candidates, 26 House of Assembly candidates and the like! Once he doesn’t like your face or guts, you are doomed!

And where has this landed the party? In a very precarious state, of course. For instance, never before in the history of the party has there been as much litigations as there was in the build up to the 2023 general election as a result of imposition from the House of Assembly to the House of Representatives, Senate to the Governorship tickets. The party witnessed a floodgate and flurry of law suits as a result of avoidable imposition and arrogance.

The direct consequence of the hundreds of law suits was the inevitable result that the once dominant ruling party could not muster the strength to win any election beyond eight State House of Assembly seats in the 2023 General elections.

To avoid a recurrence of the show of shame witnessed in the build up to the 2023 general election, it is imperative that the national leadership of the party, particularly the National Working Committee (NWC), which is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the party, must see to it that the party is rescued from the vice-grip of a man who seeks to hold the party down for his own selfish, parochial and transactional interests. This is the only way to make the party truly people-oriented and democratic as the name implies. Anything short of this is anti-democratic and anti-people, and ultimately counterproductive. The time to act and rescue the party from perennial failure is now and not later!