Members of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Osun, on Monday, unanimously removed the Chairman of the party, Dr Tosin Odeyemi, over alleged financial misappropriation.
Odeyemi was removed during a meeting at the party’s secretariat in Osogbo, where a vote of no confidence was passed on him.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, the party’s Secretary, Mr Adekunle Abolade, alleged that the poor management of funds and the chairman’s autocratic leadership were responsible for the party’s defeat in the July 16 governorship election in the state.
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Abolade said that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Boniface Aniebonam and the national executives were in support of Odeyemi’s removal as Chairman of the party in the state.
“Going by the record, our former chairman (Odeyemi) has been mismanaging the funds of the party and which resulted in the poor outcome of the party in the July 16 governorship election in the state.
“He is the sole signatory to the party’s account and receives credit and debit alerts on the party’s account.
“During our meeting with the party’s BOT chairman in Lagos, last week, he gave us the permission to remove him; and the party’s leadership in Abuja are in support of removing him.
“And the reason is that if Odeyemi is still in charge of the party in Osun, then we will have nothing to show in the 2023 general elections, but by doing what we did now, NNPP has a future in Osun”, he said.
Also speaking, the governorship candidate of the party in the state, Dr Oyelami Saliu, said that he was in support of the decision of the majority of members to remove Odeyemi.
Saliu said that the alleged poor management of the party and financial recklessness by the chairman was responsible for the poor performance of the party during the governorship election.
“I am in support in whatever the majority of members decide. I am in support of what the BOT chairman, the national leaders, and the presidential candidate of the party are in support of.
“Whatever will move the party forward in Osun and in Nigeria will also receive my blessings,” he said.
Saliu, who was unanimously elected by the party members as acting chairman of the party, said he would ensure that the party in Osun moves forward.
Also, one of the leaders of the party in the state, Oyedele Adeyemi, said that there are a lot of proven allegations of anti-party activities against the former chairman.
Oyedele said he was also in support of removing Odeyemi as the party chairman in the state.
Reacting to his removal, Odeyemi said those behind his removal from office do not have the constitutional rights to do so and the allegations levelled against him were false.
He said that a court injunction was also secured which had restrained them from removing him from office.
“Those people at the meeting are not members of the executives of the party.
“We have members of the executives, who are now party candidates and the constitution does not permit dual office.
“They do not have the constitutional right to remove me and also the court just granted an order restraining them and others from acting foolish”, he said. (NAN)
