Kwara State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria has been enmeshed in crisis over who heads the party in the state.
While the former Secretary of the party, Mr. Toyin Ayinla, on Tuesday claimed to have been appointed by the Kwara State ACN Caretaker Committee as the acting Chairman, Mr. Kayode Olawepo, who until the development, was the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of party, said he remained the chairman of the party.
He added that his purported suspension and removal were illegal, null and void.
Ayinla, in a statement to journalists, said the caretaker committee in what it called an urgent attempt to reposition the opposition party ahead of future tasks, passed a vote of no confidence in Olawepo.
He added that it thereafter suspended Olawepo and appointed him as the acting Chairman.
He urged the party members to support the new leadership and assured the public of the party's commitment to lead the collective yearnings for good governance and continuous struggle against "tyranny of the few" which, he said, was militating against the state's human and infrastructural development.
The statement read, "The Caretaker Committee, among other things, effected leadership change by appointing Mr. Toyin Ayinla as chairman in place of Mr. Kayode Olawepo. Ayinla was until Tuesday, the Secretary of the committee. Olawepo has, by this decision ceased to be the chairman of the party.
"All the decisions, including the suspension of the chairman, have been communicated to all the appropriate authorities, while members across the state are urged to work with the new leadership to move the party forward."
But Olawepo, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, dismissed his purported suspension and removal.
He argued that it was the National Executive Council of the party that had the right to remove him.
He also said there was no petition from any member of his constituency against him, adding that such a condition was necessary before his removal.
Olawepo said, "The purported suspension and removal (of me) as the chairman of the party is a nullity. "
