The Peoples Democratic Party National Vice Chairman, South West, Chief Segun Oni, has said there was no truth in the media report that he walked out representative of the Police Affairs Minister, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade, from the meeting of the party leaders held in the Abeokuta residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday.
Speaking through his Media Aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, the Zonal Chairman said Chief Dayo Okondo, who was walked out of the meeting by security men, was not invited to the meeting and he was not a representative of the minister.
Oni said “the minister did not send anyone to represent him.”
Oni, who said attendance to the Abeokuta meeting was specified, added that it was strictly by invitation and PDP members in the South West must know that the era of gate-crashing into meetings has come to an end.
He said: “Specific people were invited to the meeting and their names were given to the security people at Baba Obasanjo’s house.
“Okondo was not among the people invited and when he told the security people he was representing Olubolade, they demanded for proof, which he could not provide.
“Olubolade did not also contact the person who sent the invitation to say that he won’t be attending the meeting and that Okondo would represent him.
“It is therefore not true that Chief Okondo was walked out because he came to represent Olubolade. The fact is that Olubolade did not notify anyone that he was sending someone to represent him, and Chief Okondo did not produce any letter authorising him to represent Olubolade when he was asked.
“It should also be noted that last Sunday was not the first time Chief Okondo was walked out of Baba Obasanjo’s house. Late last year, he (Okondo) was walked out of Baba Obasanjo’s house when he told security men at the gate that he was attending the meeting on behalf of Olubolade.
“But unknown to him, Olubolade was already in the meeting. When he was told that Olubolade was already in the meeting, Okondo now introduced himself as a member of the Board of Trustees of the party.
“But again, he was asked whether he was a former or present member, he said both. He was subsequently walked out.”
While noting that indiscipline will be stamped out of the party, Oni said: “The signal we are sending is that our members should know that when we call meeting for specific people to attend, not everybody will be allowed in.
“The era of authorised people gate-crashing into our meetings has come to an end and our members must know that.”