Crisis hits Edo ADC over alleged plot to remove chairman
By Osagie Otabor, Benin The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State has become engulfed in crisis over an alleged plot to unseat its chairman, Mr. Odion Kennedy. Mr. Odion’s
By Osagie Otabor, Benin
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State has become engulfed in crisis over an alleged plot to unseat its chairman, Mr. Odion Kennedy.
Mr. Odion's tenure will end on May 19, and he is eligible to contest for another term in office.
Trouble started in after Odion opposed the conduct of congresses of the party, citing the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) refusal to monitor them.
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The party's spokesman in the state, Chris Ojeikere, in a statement, described Odion as an "outgoing chairman threatening to disrupt ongoing congresses to elect new leaders."
Ojeikere said Odion planned to extend his stay in office, adding that the party would no longer tolerate actions undermining its unity.
He said congresses were to be conducted lawfully under the direction of its national headquarters, which had informed INEC and set up a committee.
Ojeikere urged members to ignore statements from Odion.
"Any actions or statements from a former Chairman seeking to disrupt this lawful process should be disregarded.
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"We therefore call on all loyal ADC members in Edo State to remain focused and continue to participate in the ongoing Congress processes without distraction."
Should Mr. Odion persist in his actions, the Party will not hesitate to make public all relevant information regarding his harmful activities within the Party."
But Odion said the actions of some members of the party were illegal and insisted that his leadership would not conduct congresses.
Odion lamented that materials for the congresses were hijacked.
He said he would not allow strangers hijack the party.
He said, "They are doing illegality. We are in compliance with INEC decision. INEC said they are not going to monitor the congress. INEC will not accept what they did not monitor. I am not doing the congress. It will an effort in utility.
"We don't know where the Congress material are. They took them somwwhere. It is a total hijacking of the process. For those of us who have built the party from the onset, we cannot open our eyes and see strangers take over the party and made away with it. What have they brought to the table. Is it money they are putting into the party? The leaders in Edo State what are they doing. They are taking advantage of those things happening elsewhere. What they are doing is not in line with our party's constitution. They don't want to stick to due process. I remained Chairman till May 19th when my first tenure expires.
"The congress of local government and Ward is responsibility of the state to conduct it. They want to by-pass the state to go and conduct the congress. I don' t have any reason to disrupt the process if we were on the right path. I am the one to lead the process. We have been raising an alarm but their agenda was different from what we were thinking. We never knew they have another agenda."
