Director General of Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Doyin Okupe and 11 others have been expelled by the Ogun State chapter of the opposition over alleged refusal to pay their membership dues in the last six months, despite numerous notices of debt.
Those expelled alongside Okupe include Abayomi Collins, Abel Olaleye, Jagun Lookman, Olori Oluwabukola Soyoye, Gbadebo Fesomade, (former State Treasurer), and Abdulmalik Olaleye (former State Youth Leader). The rest are Jide Amusan( former State Publicity Secretary), Adeshina Wasiu Shojobi (former Asst State Youth Leader), Deborah Adewale, (former Senatorial Women Leader Ogun East), and Olatunde Abolade (former Asst State Secretary).
The decision was taken at the end of a meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Thursday, December 1.
Ogun LP chairman Michael Ashade and the party’s secretary Feyisola Michael who hinged the decision on Article 9(3)xi of the party’s constitution, also asked the national chairman of the party, Barr. Julius Abure and the party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to obey the party’s constitution by immediately relieving Okupe of his position as DG of PCC and also appoint another DG who should come from the North to reflect federal characters and political balance.
The statement read;
“Only fully registered and financially up-to-date members of the Party shall have the right to vie for office in the Ward Executive, Local Government Area Executive, State Executive Councils and the National Working Committee of the Party or be a delegate to the Congresses and the National Convention.
“Article 9(3)iii of our Party’s Constitution states as follows: ‘only members who pay their monthly membership dues at rates prescribed shall be deemed to be bonafide members of the Party. Arrears of dues of up to six months shall lead to forfeiture of membership.’
“Despite repeated demands from various meetings I had with Dr. Doyin Okupe in respect of his mandatory constitutional requirements to fulfill membership status, he has failed woefully in this regard with some others to flagrantly disobey the constitution of Labour party.
“… In line with article 19(3) of the Labour Party constitutional provision, we declare that Dr. Doyin Okupe, having failed in the payment of his membership dues for the last six months of joining the Party, has forfeited his membership of the Party and no longer fit and competent to continue to act as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
“We hereby notify our National Chairman Bar Julius Abure and Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that it’s expedient to obey the constitution of Labour party by immediately appoint another DG for the PCC and that should come from the North to reflect Federal Characters and political balance.”