Resign or be removed, PDP threatens Oyo deputy governor
By Stephen Gbadamosi
Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has threatened to remove the deputy governor of the state, Engineer Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, if he fails to resign voluntarily.
The party made this disclosure on Monday.
Olaniyan had on Sunday announced that he had left the ruling party in the state, a development followed by reports that he had joined rival All Progressives Congress (APC).
The deputy governor, who was elected along with Governor Seyi Makinde on the ticket of the PDP in 2019, later confirmed that he had joined the APC.
Upon the development, the PDP has, however, advised him to resign immediately.
The party, in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, threatened that it would remove Olaniyan, if he failed to resign.
It enjoined the deputy governor to resign voluntarily, because he had abandoned the political party and the votes that produced him on the party’s joint ticket.
It added that it was determined and resolved to retrieve the party’s mandate “being withheld illegally and unlawfully by Olaniyan.”
Olatunji said: “it is only when you contest election as an independent candidate and win and then decide to move to any political party of your choice that you become the owner of the votes cast by the electorate.
“Unfortunately, Olaniyan wants to eat his cake and still have it.
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“Our position is simple and very clear on this matter and as a matter of legal implication, the votes in any election in Nigeria are for political parties and not candidates.
“Failure to follow this advice and adhere strictly to it from the PDP which is the legitimate owner of every single vote cast by the electorate in the 2019 governorship election, the PDP shall not hesitate to immediately deploy every constitutional means to prevent this daylight robbery.
“We’re determined and resolved to retrieve the party’s mandate being withheld illegally and unlawfully by the deputy governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, because it belongs to the people of Oyo State who have handled same to the PDP.”
