The Ogun State chapter of the African Democratic Congress has dismissed allegations of financial impropriety levelled against its State Chairman, Olufemi Soluade, describing the claims as misleading, unfounded and baseless.
The Director-General of the Directorate of Media, Communications and Publicity of the party, Adesina Olanrewaju, disclosed this on Wednesday during a briefing held at the party secretariat in Itoko, Abeokuta, the state capital.
A petition was reportedly submitted by a group to the national leadership of the party, accusing Soluade of financial mismanagement involving funds paid for nomination forms ahead of the 2027 elections.
Olanrewaju said the party had conducted a review of the allegations contained in the petition and found no evidence to support claims that the state chairman diverted funds meant for the purchase of nomination forms by aspirants.
He said records available to the party showed that the payments were made directly into an account designated by the ADC National Secretariat.
Olanrewaju said, “The claim that funds sent by aspirants were diverted or personally received by the State Chairman is false and misleading.
“For clarity, the monies referred to by the petitioners were funds meant strictly for the purchase of nomination forms by aspirants of the party. Major leaders of the party were aware of this arrangement, and there is clear evidence, including payment records and receipts, showing that the funds were paid into the officially designated ADC National Secretariat account.”
The party also faulted what it described as contradictions in the position of the petitioners, noting that they had repeatedly acknowledged Soluade as the duly recognised state chairman while simultaneously attempting to challenge his leadership.
The DG stated that, “It is therefore both curious and contradictory that the same individuals now seek to promote a parallel structure and alternative leadership arrangement outside the constitutionally recognised organs of the party.
“One cannot simultaneously recognise a chairman and attempt to undermine his office through unauthorised structures.”
Addressing issues surrounding the distribution of nomination forms, the party said a self-acclaimed Deputy National Financial Secretary, Mr Oladimeji Fabiyi, obtained an initial batch of forms from the party’s National Secretariat but failed to release most of them to the state leadership for distribution.
Olanrewaju explained that only about 10 of approximately 50 forms obtained were released, despite interventions from the office of the National Organising Secretary.
The party said the development created concerns among aspirants as the deadline for obtaining nomination forms approached, prompting some of them to request that payments be routed through the state chairman, who was already at the National Secretariat facilitating the process.
Olanrewaju explained that, “The suggestion by some aspirants to transfer the funds through the State Chairman was not because of any personal arrangement or financial control, but because at that period, between May 10 and May 17, Otunba Olufemi Soluade was physically present at the ADC National Secretariat in Abuja to facilitate and obtain another set of nomination forms for aspirants from Ogun State.
“Available information shows that Mr Oladimeji Fabiyi, who identifies himself as Deputy National Financial Secretary, was at the National Secretariat and obtained the first set of nomination forms through the office of the National Organising Secretary.
“Rather than releasing the forms to the State Chairman upon his return from the National Secretariat for proper coordination and distribution to aspirants, the forms were kept by Mr Fabiyi despite several interventions from the office of the National Organising Secretary. These claims are verifiable in the office of the National Organising Secretary.
“Out of about 50 nomination forms obtained, only about 10 were released. This situation created serious concern, especially as the deadline for obtaining nomination forms was approaching.
“It was within this context that some aspirants, particularly House of Assembly aspirants, suggested that their nomination form payments be routed through the State Chairman, who was already handling the process of obtaining the forms at the National Secretariat.”
Olanrewaju further revealed that the activities of a parallel group within the party disrupted preparations for the presidential primary in Ogun State.
He said, “It is also saddening to reveal that there was no presidential primary election in Ogun State. This was because of the parallel group these fellows instituted, who went to presidential aspirants to defraud them.”
The party maintained that it possesses documentary evidence, including payment records, receipts, dates and names of aspirants, which it said disproves the allegations contained in the petition.
Olanrewaju added that internal verification conducted by the party showed that some individuals listed as petitioners were not recognised members of the ADC in Ogun State.
“Reports from the party’s membership verification process indicate that the names of some of those behind the petition do not appear in the official membership database of the party. This raises serious questions about the authenticity and motive behind the petition,” he said.
The party disclosed that an official report on the matter had been forwarded to the offices of the National Chairman and the National Organising Secretary of the ADC for necessary action.
Reaffirming support for Soluade’s leadership, Olanrewaju said the state executive remained committed to transparency, accountability and party unity.
He added that, “We therefore urge members of the public, ADC members and stakeholders in Ogun State to disregard misleading information capable of causing unnecessary division within the party.
“The leadership of Otunba Olufemi Soluade and the State Working Committee remains committed to fairness, justice, accountability and the progress of the African Democratic Congress.”
The party also called on journalists to verify information concerning the ADC through its accredited communications directorate before publication.
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