The chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kola Ologbodiyan, has vowed that the party would continue with its convention even if forced out of its venue.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television, he recounted how arrangements with multiple event centres collapsed abruptly, including a specific incident during an inspection visit.
He, however, stated that the party is ready to hold its convention on the streets.
Ologbondiyan said, “Shortly before midnight last night, we got reports that the owner of the Rainbow Events Centre came out to tell the leadership… that he has been instructed to withdraw the permission, and he doesn’t want to lose his only means of earning.
“If this order… is enforced, and ADC is denied the right to use the Rainbow Events Centre, then we can as well go on the streets and condone the convention there, because the convention belongs to the party.”
He added that the party had fulfilled all contractual obligations and would not vacate the venue without enforcement.
“Having fulfilled all contractual engagements, including payments for the use of the venue, there’s no way we can withdraw… if those who are saying that we have to leave… they should come by themselves.”
Ologbodiyan also dismissed concerns about the convention’s legality, insisting that the party had fully complied with electoral requirements.
“The expectation of the law… is that our duty stops when we issue the 21-day notice to INEC. We have done that.
“We have issued INEC the required 21-day notice… and we’ll have our convention today,” he stated.
He maintained that no legal barrier exists to stop the exercise.
“There’s no order anywhere stopping the convention. There’s no order anyway, asking that the party must not hold its convention,” he added.
