Crisis rocks Ondo PDP as aggrieved members reject state congress

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State is facing a deepening internal crisis as some aggrieved members have rejected the recently concluded state congress that produced Barrister Victor Modupe Aisida as the new state chairman.
Aisida emerged at the congress held last month, succeeding Rt. (Hon.) Bakitta Bello, who completed the tenure of the late Hon. Fatai Adams.
Other newly elected executives include Akin Oyewole (Deputy Chairman), Oluseye Olujimi (Secretary), Jolade Aladetan (Publicity Secretary), and Woke Akindiose (Legal Adviser).
Although the congress was described as peaceful, the party’s 2024 governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, was conspicuously absent from the exercise.
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, a group within the party known as Kick Against Deceit alleged that the congress was deliberately manipulated to favour certain leaders within the PDP.
In the statement signed by Hon. Bamidele Ojo, the group’s Protem Director of Public Communications, the members described the entire process as a “charade.”
“We, as members of a group within the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Kick Against Deceit, hereby condemn and totally reject the just concluded state congress of the PDP in Ondo State. We insist that the process was wilfully manipulated to serve the interests of a few leaders,” the statement read.
Rising from a meeting held in Akure and chaired by Hon. Olaniyi Ogungbuji, the group expressed disappointment in the party’s leadership, accusing it of hypocrisy and lack of transparency despite its public posturing as a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The aggrieved members alleged that, contrary to earlier assurances that existing senatorial district arrangements and officeholders who had not completed eight years would be retained, the congress outcome defied that understanding.
“We realised that what was preached was not followed in any way. The positions were not only swapped from one senatorial district to another, but those who had not spent up to eight years were removed without any justifiable reasons,” the statement continued.
“At the end of the scam, some local governments enjoyed both national and state positions, while others were left out entirely, depending on the presence of any member of the leadership cartel in such local governments. The positions were not given based on competence, equity, or fairness but on a ‘chop-make-I-chop’ basis.”
The group vowed to challenge the outcome of the congress before higher authorities within the party, insisting that allowing the “charade” to stand would set a dangerous precedent ahead of the 2027 polls.
The statement added, “Having thoroughly deliberated on the process and the conduct of the exercise, we concluded that the outcome must not be allowed to stand. We have therefore resolved to challenge the result in the interest of our great party.”
Those present at the meeting included Olaniyi Ogungbuji, Charles Adeduro, B.J. Lawal, Pat Ojo, Adebayo Adeyemi Adedipe, Bamidele Ojo, and Caroline Olubitan.
Others were Olowokanga Ayininuola, Dagbatan Anjorin Peter, Comrade Olawale Ijanusi, Oyinlusi Yemisi, and Eyiyemi Oluwatuyi.