September 12, (THEWILL) — The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State has accused a suspended Chieftain of the party, Jimi Lawal, of allegedly engaging in ‘party card fraud’ for issuing over 300 membership cards without the consent of the state executive.
The party strongly condemned Lawal’s actions, accusing him of violating the party’s constitution and engaging in anti-party activities.
It specifically alleged that he campaigned for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and urged the 300 members he issued party cards to vote for ADC during the August 16 by-election for Remo Federal Constituency.
SDP’s Deputy Chairman, Olusola Coker, who disclosed this in an exclusive interview on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, accused Lawal of allegedly issuing illegal SDP membership cards to ADC members without authorisation from the state leadership.
Coker criticised the ex-aide to former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of impersonating SDP despite his alleged defection to ADC’s coalition, insisting that the party remain an independent political entity with no merger or coalition agreement with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He said, “Jimi Lawal has been officially and constitutionally expelled from SDP. He was specifically dismissed for anti-party activities. This man tried to become an Aphrodite politician when we went to do a party primary in Sagamu for a constituency by-election.
“When I got there and saw party members, and we said everybody show their membership card, and over 300 people showed their party cards, and we said where did they get the cards, and they said it was Jimi Lawal who gave it to them, whereas only party executive has the right to give membership cards. Now, during the By-election, somebody who brought 300 people was then campaigning for ADC.
“A man who forged our cards and gave them to 300 people, and I believe he forged them through illegal means, if not, let him come out and tell us how he got them. But if these 300 people had voted for us, we would have had more votes in the by-election.
“Despite this, it has come to our attention that Hon. Jimi Adebisi Lawal continues to present himself as a member of the ADC coalition in Ogun State. He has also been issuing SDP members’ cards illegally without the authority of the state organ of the party.
“We consider the possession of the party cards illegal. All these activities are a breach of the party’s constitution.
“Since he had not paid any membership dues, which is a prerequisite for joining the party, we consider that he is impersonating a member of our party, SDP. With this, he is not qualified to or recognised to represent our party at all levels”, he stated.
Efforts to reach Lawal proved abortive as he couldn’t pick up or return calls, and he also refused to return text messages sent to him.
Seun Shotunde, THEWILL
