… Describes expulsion story as null, void
Adesina Akinpelu
Comrade Adesina Akinpelu has declared that he remains a national leader of the New Era faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).
He dismissed his purported expulsion from the Yoruba socio-cultural group as unconstitutional and ineffective.
Akinpelu described the move to expel him as ‘futile’, insisting that the National Executive Council (NEC) that announced the decision no longer has the constitutional authority to take such action.
The OPC chieftain argued that the NEC led by Rasaq Arogundade Balogun, popularly known as ‘Sadam’, ceased to exist on December 12, 2025, following the expiration of its eight-year tenure as stipulated in the organization’s constitution.
According to him, any decision taken by the council after that date, including his purported expulsion, is null and void.
Speaking on the controversy, Akinpelu, who served as National Publicity Secretary in the now-dissolved NEC, accused Balogun of refusing to vacate office to pave the way for the constitution of a caretaker committee that would oversee the affairs of the organisation, pending the emergence of a new NEC.
He alleged that the development has heightened tension within the organisation and could trigger unrest among members.
“In his bid to sit tight in office, Sadam is trying to ignite violence within the organisation. This development was reported to the Department of State Services in Lagos,” Akinpelu said.
He added that the dispute was also reported to the Nigeria Police Force at the Zone 2 Command in Onikan, Lagos, where members involved in the crisis were invited by security authorities.
According to him, the police subsequently directed all parties to sign an undertaking, committing themselves to maintaining peace across Lagos and other states in Yorubaland, pending the outcome of investigations into the leadership dispute.
Akinpelu further alleged that while members were awaiting the outcome of the police investigation, Balogun and the Secretary of the dissolved NEC, Bayo Oyename, issued the controversial letter announcing his expulsion.
“We are still waiting for the report of police findings when Sadam, alongside the Secretary of the dissolved NEC, Chief Bayo Oyename, came out with the purported letter of expulsion without consultation or approval from the Elders’ Council,” he said.
The OPC leader maintained that under the OPC New Era constitution, only the Elders’ Council has the authority to discipline or expel leaders of the organisation.
He therefore insisted that the decision could not stand.
Akinpelu also accused Balogun of attempting to provoke violence within the organisation despite what he described as a collective agreement among senior leaders that the ongoing leadership dispute must not degenerate into bloodshed.