The Ijumu local government area Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, has faulted the purported suspension of Senator Dino Melaye from the party, describing the report as a concocted exercise by external enemies of the party from outside the LGA.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Executive Committee of the PDP in Ayetoro/lluagba Ward 1 in Ijumu LGA had announced the purported suspension of the former Kogi West Senator from the party, accusing the former PDP governorship candidate in the 2023 election of engaging in anti-party activities.
The suspension was contained in a statement jointly signed by the PDP’s Ward Chairman, Mr Abayomi Osamika, and Secretary, Mr Yodson Dayo, as was made available to journalists on Friday in Lokoja.
According to the statement, Melaye’s suspension was ratified by the Resolution of PDP Ward Exco meeting held in Aiyetoro, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, and signed by all executive members of the party.
But, responding to the development late Friday evening, the chairman of the PDP in Ijumu LGA, Hon. Olorunmiye Olabode; Secretary, Com. Owonibi Kayode, and Public Relations Officer, Past. Stanley Ajileye, in a jointly signed communique, described the earlier communique suspending Melaye from PDP as a fabrication by forces of destabilisation from outside Ijumu LGA.
“We are made aware of a communique in circulation which was concocted by external enemies of the Party from outside ljumu, who are forces of destabilisation and who want to remove our leader, the leader of the Party in the State, His Excellency, Senator Dino Melaye, who is the voice of the voiceless, so they can ride roughshod over loyal Party members in Kogi State.
“We categorically and unequivocally state that the said purported letter of expulsion is a forgery and cannot stand. It is so ridiculously and hurriedly written that the day and date do not tally.
“We also state that such a correspondence which is meant to expel an important member of the Party as HE Senator Dino Melaye, a prominent member of the Party, cannot be handled in this criminal manner, no PDP member in Kogi has done what our leader has done nationally for the PDP nationally,” they said.
The party leadership in the local government area challenged those behind the purported suspension to highlight the anti-party activities for which the former federal lawmaker was suspended for.
“We challenge these traducers to mention the anti-party activities of Senator Dino Melaye. The man who still paid for the accommodation of the party at the state headquarters and paid salaries of staff. Bought 10,000 copies of membership cards just last month and shared among party members and new joiners. He gave N2m to the party just last month as running cost.
“We therefore here state for the records, that it is a breach of the Constitution of the Party not to follow due process in the haste to execute the malicious and mischievous plan,” the communiques obtained by LEADERSHIP reads.
They urged all members of the PDP in Ijumu LGA and the state as a whole to “disregard the purported dismissal or expulsion of our staunch, loyal, committed, unflinching State leader who abhors anti-party activities in all ramifications for which reason he is being vilified by agents of destruction.”
