Shelle’s Removal An Exercise In Futility – Lagos PDP Chieftain

Tunji-ShelleA chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Mrs. Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, has described the sacking of the chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Adetunji Shelle, as a premature exercise that will end in futility.

Adebajo-Fraser, however, demanded the resignation of the Adamu Mu’azu-led National Working Committee of PDP.

The PDP chieftain, in a statement sent to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said Mr. Shelle’s removal was at variance with the provisions of the PDP constitution.

“It cannot hold as the National Working Committee is the only platform that can entertain the recommendation of the State Working Committee and take a decision after he (Shelle) has been given a fair hearing”, Adebajo-Fraser stated.

According to her, it is obvious that there is an ulterior motive behind the sudden drive to remove the Lagos chairman urgently.

She said, “I totally disagree with the fact that the call for (the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu) Mu’azu to resign could justify the unconstitutional attempt to remove the Lagos PDP chairman.

“One has nothing whatsoever to do with the other and is only an excuse for initiating a leadership change in the party. The change should be by the people when the next congresses will be held without imposition of candidates.

“The stakeholders should be given a chance to elect their representatives and leaders on a level playing field. Maybe the members are not interested in Bode George or Musiliu Obanikoro. Maybe they want a change. Maybe they want a new face. It is a season of change in Nigeria’s political landscape”.

Adebajo-Fraser pleaded with leaders of the party to be patient, pointing out that the Lagos chapter of PDP needs to be united and all leaders ought to be carried along.

She said, “I believe all the parties involved in the national crisis should resign honourably, as there is no moral justification for their remaining in office if the stakeholders have no confidence in them.

“There must be a complete overhaul from the Board of Trustees level all the way down to the ward level, if we intend to re-invent the party and reposition it as an opposition party. We will require a different class of politicians who are strategists with the required political expediency and sagacity”.

Adebajo-Fraser also urged the party’s new crop of leaders to work out a well-defined ideology.