Akala Tears Ballot Papers At PDP South-west Congress

There was pandemonium at the South- West zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan yesterday as former Governor of Oyo State, Otun­ ba Adebayo Alao-Akala, dazed the leadership of PDP as he angrily collected ballot papers from delegates from the state and tore them.


The congress was held at the Apex Multipurpose Hall, Agodi-Gate, Ibadan. Delegates to the congress were to elect new zonal executives yesterday. The apparent outburst of anger caused a scene at the congress, which was attended by the notable PDP leaders from the South-West geo-political zone. He torethe ballot papers at about 6p.m. Alao-Akala was shouting at the top of his voice as he protested to meet the chairman of the screening com­ mittee, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, and a financier of the party, Chief Buruji Kashamu, telling them that some people were trying to play games with him.

The governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, and other top members of the party quickly stood up from their seats, went to meet Alao-Akala and pacified him. Checks by Sunday Sun revealed that Alao-Akala got angry when he got the clue that the name of his candidate for the zonal youth leadership position was allegedly expunged from the list of contestants by some PDP leaders. A total of 418 delegates, Sunday Sun learnt, were screened to vote at the congress.

 The breakdown of the figure showed that Oyo State had 87 delegates, Lagos – 62, Osun – 79, Ogun – 73, Ondo – 57 and Ekiti – 60 delegates. While the delegates from Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States voted, the situation was not the same with delegates from Oyo State. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also in attendance to monitor the conduct of the election. Notable PDP leaders at the congress included Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan; Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; former senate leader, Teslim Folarin; and PDP National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo.

Also in attendance were Senator Iyiola Omisore, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Gen Raji Rasaki (retd), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Senator Ayo Adesun, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola, Hon Muraina Ajibola, Mr. Seyi Makinde, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, party chairmen from six states in the South-West and scores of others. In an apparent search for peace, the Ekiti State governor- elect, Mr. Fayose, at a time took the microphone and appealed to all delegates and reporters to move out of the hall so that elders of the party could hold a meeting aimed at resolving the crisis.