By Jubril Bada

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The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ondo State, has closed ranks and elected new executives to run the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The election of the executives was held during the congress of the party in Akure, the State capital.

It was reported that Mr Dele Thomas and Prince Dele Ogunbameru had been laying claim to the chairmanship position of the party in the state.

Ogunbameru, one of the factional chairmen, at the congress where both factions were present, announced his resignation as chairman, saying “the party must move forward”.

The congress, which was witnessed by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police, elected Mr Dele Thomas as the new Chairman; Tope Bambo as Deputy Chairman; and Dr Sola Agboola as State Secretary.

Also, Mrs Rachael Ajayi emerged as the state Treasurer, while a veteran journalist, Mr Remi Olayiwola, was elected as the State Publicity Secretary.

Ogunbameru in his speech, said that the  division in the party was the handiwork of a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party, who is even yet to become a candidate.

“The aspirant is supposed to be reconciling both factions by emulating me (Ogunbameru) and organising a reconciliation process by pulling everybody together, it showed that he might not even emerge as a candidate,” he said.

Ogunbameru also said that the congress was at the instance of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) directive that all political parties should conduct their congresses, saying that he was happy to step down for peace to reign.

“We just conducted a peaceful congress, where factions in SDP reconciled after a long period of time.

“We have conducted the congress, and I as the state chairman of the recognised SDP, but today, I resigned my position.

“Based on directive of INEC that every party should conduct their congresses and I voluntarily stepped down and a new chairman and new executives have emerged.

“It is the state working committee of the party that has the right to conduct congress at the state level.

“The former factional chairman of the party emerged today as the new chairman, so there is no more faction in Ondo State SDP,” he said.

The new Chairman, Mr Dele Thomas, promised that everybody at all level would be carried along in the running of the party.

Thomas appreciated the elders of the party for always cooperating and ensuring that the factional crisis was resolved.

He added that all the aspirants were free to interact with the new executives so as to perform creditably in the 2023 general elections.

Also, the immediate past Chairman of the Party in the state, Chief Korede Duyile, said as a leader, his goal for the party was to move forward.

Duyile noted that SDP started from Ondo State and the problem also started from the state and was happy it has been resolved.

He said that the people that were supposed to be benefitting directly from the party were the ones pulling it down.

The former chairman urged all members present at the congress to work for the unity of the party