Fasehun Suspended As UPN Chairman, Manzo Now Acting Chair

                     

The leadership crisis in the United Party of Nigeria (UPN) took a new dimension, yesterday in Abuja, during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of senior members of the party, when the embattled chairman of the party, Dr Fredick Fasehun was suspended.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Bari Salau, the suspension of Fasheun was due to indications, which did not augur well for the unity of the party.

The problem began after the harmonisation of the caretaker committee after discrepancies occurring from the differences from the NEC list and Fasehun’s list in 11 states arose, but, which was amicably settled.

The NEC had then mandated 36 states to form caretaker committees. However, Akwa-Ibom State and Benue State failed to reach a consensus over their choice of caretaker chairman after which Fasehun was said to have ordered for adjournment of the meeting. This did not augur well with the other party members, who were said to have insisted that the meeting continues as there were other important matters to be discussed.

Fasehun was said to have walked out of the meeting after which some men disrupted meeting procedings.

Dr Tunji Olateju, the National Organising Secretary for the UPN from Lagos State then moved a motion for permission to continue the NEC meeting, without the chairman.

Owing to Fasehun’s conduct, the deputy national organising secretary of the party, Honourable Mohammed Hari then moved another motion for Fasehun’s suspension, which was adopted by most members of the party with a ratio of 27 to 1.

Fasehun’s deputy, Dr Abubakar Manzo was then adopted as acting chairman of the party, after which Mr Adekunle Oshinoiki and Prince Shoye Adenuga were chosen as caretaker chairmen of Lagos and Ogun States.