Lagos PDP: captain Tunji Shelle, factional chairman Olorunoje renew Lagos PDP leadership.

The two factions laying claim to the leadership of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday accused each other of running an illegal executive committee.

This was even as the chairmen of both factions described themselves as the authentic leaders of the PDP in the state.

A faction of the Lagos State PDP, led by Capt Tunji Shelle, alleged that the opposing camp headed by Kamal Olorunoje, had surrendered the leadership of the PDP to it during a meeting at the party’s headquarters on Friday.

The spokesperson for the Shelle-led faction, Mr. Gani Taofik, said in a text message sent to our correspondent that Olorunoje’s group surrendered to the leadership of Shelle as the party’s chairman, thus bringing to an end the crisis that erupted in the state chapter of the PDP shortly after the 2015 general elections.

The text message read, “In what appears to be a U-turn of stance, some persons, including the state secretary, the vice chairman (Lagos West); the treasurer, six local government areas chairmen and two ex-officio members made a surprise appearance at the state executives meeting now in session at the state secretariat of the party.

“It is expected that more of the chairman’s antagonists will join the session before it ends.”

But Olorunoje countered Taofik even before the meeting ended. He described Taofik’s message as false meant to deceive the public.

Olorunoje said the surprise appearance of some of his loyalists at a meeting called by Shelle’s personal assistant was meant to explain the constitutional procedure on how a meeting of the party should be called.

He said, “The message sent by the Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary that members of the executives surrendered to Capt. Tunji Shelle is absolutely false. Surprise appearance was made by some of our members to explain the constitutional procedures to the meeting called today at the party secretariat by Shelle through his personal assistant that it is only the state secretary who can call meetings.

“The majority still believes and stands by our allegations against Capt. Shelle, which were not fabricated but known proven facts. So we still consider Tunji Shelle suspended by the majority and still waiting for the National Executive Committee’s ratification.”