The leadership tussle in the Unity Party of Nigeria between Dr Fredrick Fasheun and Prof Bankole Okuwa got to the head today as the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) disowned Okuwa describing him as a “joker.”
In a statement by the pioneer and current UPN Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Adeoye Jolaosho, the party said Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the pioneer leader, remained the National Chairman of the party.
“By virtue of the first UPN National Convention held at the Yard 158 Events Centre, Oregun, Lagos, last January 9, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the pioneer National Chairman of the party, was returned to the position,” said Jolaosho.
He said the election of Fasehun as well as other members of the National Executive Council (NEC) complied with Article II Section 7(2) of the party’s constitution, which stipulates that: “The National Convention shall elect the… National Officers of the Party each of whom shall hold office for a maximum of four years or for such other lesser duration as the National Convention may fix but shall be eligible for re-election,”
Disowning Okuwa, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said: “We have never seen this pretender, the so-called Professor Okuwa, the supposed new National Chairman at any UPN meeting,” he said. “He has never been registered as a member of the party, talk more of being a member of our national executive, talk more of tagging him National Chairman.”
According to the UPN Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Professor Okuwa was a total stranger to the party, was liable to be prosecuted for impersonation and should stop parading himself as an officer of the party.
Jolaosho traced the genesis of Okuwa’s claim to the same forces that rose against the resuscitation of the UPN in 2013.
According to him, it was clear that Okuwa was another phase in the fight by those threatened by UPN’s emergence, especially in the South-West.
“This is the equivalent of a civilian coup attempt, but it is a failed coup attempt. It is dead on arrival,” he said. “It is a great shame that a whole Professor should reduce himself to the position of a stooge and a puppet, to be controlled by moneybags and politicians whose sole interest is the destabilising of the party.”
Jolaosho also chided Okuwa for tagging Fasehun a rascal.
“It is the height of disrespect for anyone in this country to call a renowned elder statesman like Dr. Fasehun a rascal. It shows disrespect and lack of proper upbringing,” he said. “The truth is that after the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Moshood Abiola, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, no one can push aside Dr. Fasehun (with all his flaws) for the sacrifices he has made for the dignity of Yoruba people and for Nigeria as a whole. None of his critics can lay claim to his level of personal, economic and political sacrifice,” he said. “This freedom fighter founded the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), and he and the group fought for the enthronement of the democracy we enjoy today in Nigeria.”
According to him, it would be the height of ingratitude to attempt to rubbish Fasehun,
“In UPN we often consider it a privilege to have such a historical figure at the helm of affairs,” he said. “He is a qualitative and dignified persona who has invested his personal resources and vision to position the party as one of the leading political voices in the country.”
Furthermore, Jolaosho punctured Okuwa’s claim that INEC was present at the illegal National Convention that produced him, saying it held no water.
“We have it on good authority that INEC was not in any way represented at the illegal programme,” he said.
In contrast, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said that the National Convention held in Lagos last January strictly complied with the UPN constitution’s provisions.
