THE crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, took a turn for the worse on Monday following the decision of its candidate for the Ondo North Senatorial District election in the 2019 general elections, Dr. Olusegun Philip-Alonge, to challenge his suspension in court.

Alonge-Philip was recently suspended for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.
In a suit filed by his lawyer, Akin Jinadu, Philip-Alonge is demanding for the payment of the sum of N 100 Million as general damages and for failing to include his name as a delegate in the last national convention of the party.

Alonge, while speaking on Monday in Ugbe Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of the state, said, “The South-West and national bodies did not deem it fit to reply to my humble and well-meaning request for resolution. At this point, I am committed to allowing the court to do justice to this matter.”

Philip-Alonge also said, “The Fatai Adams-led state working committee has ditched the party constitution, shredded the instituted civil rights, most importantly, freedom of speech, freedom of association, the right to exist freely without coercion and without being bullied, and access to due process.

“At no time in modern human history has a major political organization been run on shenanigans, finding members guilty of trumped-up charges without due process, and at no time in the history of Nigeria has people been bullied, and denied their rights, and summarily dismissed from the party like what has happened in Ondo PDP in the past 15 months.”

In response, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr Kenedy Peretei, said, “OPA (Alonge-Philip) is not a member of our party. He campaigned and worked for the APC candidate at the 2020 Governorship elections.

“He voluntarily returned his PDP card. We have joined issues with him in court, so l cannot say more than that at the moment. This does not amount to any crisis in the party.”

Copyright PUNCH.