Lagos state PDP Chairman Adedeji Doherty’s June 12 address

My Dear Leaders and Ever Faithful and Loyal Members, On behalf of my Entire Family and the Entire State Executive Committee I would like to wish you a Happy Democracy Day.

I believe we should take time to look back at the different happenings that brought about the remembrance of today in the history of our dear country.

We must not forget the various evil acts of different players in our political space which later and eventually led to the calculated death of our Leader and the uncrowned President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at that time, the Aare Ona Kankanfo Of Yorubaland, The Late Chief MKO Abiola (RIP) . However, I believe that The Late Chief MKO Abiola’s struggle at that time was to free the Majority of Nigerians from the Jaws of Political, Economic and Infrastructural slavery.

This coup-like, schemed, orchestrated and, failed struggle, which was meant to free our dear country and place her on the path of greatness finally eluded us.
However, I believe that 27 years after this sad event took place, the struggle for an Equal, Free and Fair Nigeria still eludes us as a people. However, I believe our party, the PDP will Continue to stand for the Establishment of a country which believes in “True Federalism and the Restructuring of our Federal System of Government”.

My Dear Leaders and Loyal Members, this day should also be a time for us- as the Leading Opposition party in Lagos State to brace up and think deeply about our constitutional role as a viable opposition in the Democratic Environment in Lagos State.

We should all realize that Our dream of a better Lagos under the management of a PDP led Government will only be a mirage if we don’t come together as a united force, rather than working against the Party we all Love. We can remember the evil acts of invisible people during the buildup to the 2007 primaries in our party which did not only lead to the incarceration of 14 of our Gubernatorial Aspirants into the gallos of the Alagbon Detention Center with my humble self included, while we lost one of our own to the hands of assassins due to the disunity that was prevalent during that period.

We pray that this evil situation will not reoccur in our party again In Jesus Name Amen

Having said this, it is quite evident that we need to stop the various acts of deceit, treachery, insubordination, backbiting, jealousy and disloyalty at ourselves and our dear party, but rather embrace peace and tolerance.

My Dear Leaders, you would all recall that The Engr. Adedeji Doherty led Executive Committee was inaugurated on the 2nd of December 2019, but unfortunately, my humble self and my team met a badly mismanaged party.

The entire structure of the party including the party secretariat was an eye-sore to all and sundry. Consequently, we had no choice but to move swiftly to resuscitate our deplorable image both physically, spiritually, mentally and Politically.

It is my utmost pleasure to announce to you that we have finally moved forward in restoring the image of our party by executing a subtle renovation and reconstruction of the State party Secretariat in GRA Ikeja.

My Dear Loyal Members, we are not there yet but I must tell you that we are on our way there and by the grace of God we will achieve our desired goal as a Party.

Moreover I believe it won’t be far from the truth if we say that our dear party has experienced a certain level of peace within the past 6 months thanks to you and definitely the Almighty God. We have also executed various programs and participated in Rallies here in Lagos and in the Southwest Zone, we have also received some of our members who had left the party and have finally found out that our party is the only home they can comfortably call their own.

We have also visited the Abule Ado Disaster Area in Amuwo Odofin Local Government, while we also went on an assessment tour of the Lagos State Infectious Disease Center in Yaba- which precipitated my Open letter to the Governor of our State regarding the state of Preparedness of the state to handle the COVID 19 Pandemic in Lagos.

Ladies and Gentlemen, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Country, especially in our dear state, we have had to conduct ourselves cautiously following the new order by observing social distancing and washing of hands etc, which has definitely slowed our ability to Manage the party comfortably but it has also forced us to put on our thinking caps and create ways and means by which we could support ourselves especially when our State Government had decided to alienate us and our Supporters from receiving the Governments backed palliatives, which was meant for all the citizens in the state, and not just members and sympathizers of the Ruling party, the APC.

The State Executive Committee has also ratified and passed the use of other locations for State meetings pending when the COVID 19 lockdown would be released and approved the deployment of our Mobilization and Party membership Registration exercise which is due to begin anytime from now.

The Office of the National Organising Secretary has forwarded all the materials for this exercise.
As your Chairman, and having been vested with the responsibility to protect and stand up for you in trying times, I decided to write an open letter to the State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo olu regarding the abnormalities that followed the distribution of COVID 19 relief materials all over the 20 Local Government. Consequently, the Governor responded by asking us to come over to their office in GRA to pick up about 15 bags of rice and 20 bags of Gari which was allocated to our party, which we rejected after due consultations with some key members of the State Working Committee and some notable leaders.

This dire situation however forced us to constitute a Task Force team who was saddled with the responsibility of designing a template or program that would come to the rescue and cushion the economic hardship which the COVID 19 Lockdown had created among our teeming members and supporters .
Ladies and Gentlemen, we then created “The PDP COVID 19 Economic Support Program ” which I humbly chaired. As at today, we have distributed different relief materials as palliatives to our teeming members all over the state- thanks to the efforts of our loyal members and committed donors.

We are pleased to announce to you that the COVID 19 relief team has visited the entire state twice while executing two phases of the program while the third phase tagged “The Late Engr. Funsho Williams Economic Support Program” is about to commence in earnest.

Our dear members should please expect to see the PDP COVID-19 Team at your Local Government offices very soon. It is good to note that we have distributed close to 300,000 packets of Honeywell noodles so far and I must say, with these laudable initiatives, Lagosians are happy with our party today.

I would also like to take this opportunity to request that ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WARD EXCO MEMBERS SHOULD MEET AT THEIR VARIOUS MEETING POINTS ON THE 27th OF JULY 2020 @12:00 noon For a 30 min Prayer session in remembrance of our Dear Leader The Late Engr. Funsho Williams and all other leaders of our party who have left us.

I believe they are not with us physically but with us in spirit.
Having said this. I would like to state categorically that the State Executive Committee has come together and agreed to the end of the 65/35 sharing template which almost destroyed our party apart from creating so much enmity within the party. This sharing formula has finally come to an end. As at today, PDP is ONE and so shall it be In Jesus Name Amen!

Finally, my dear Leaders and Ever Loyal members, You would recall that on the 2nd of December 2019, I was inaugurated as your Chairman and did take an oath of office which I would strictly adhere to, and as such, you should expect my full cooperation and adherence to a free and fair election into any vacant position to be filled by our Executive Committee at any time Proscribed by the Zonal and National Office.

The days of selection and imposition are over. All Aspirants who are interested in taking part in the upcoming Local Council Elections should please register their interest with their Local Government Party Chairman Immediately as preparations for this Election will start in the next couple of weeks, we would also be inaugurating 10 standing Committees that have been approved by the State Executive Committee including the State Caucus and The Elders Council, These various ratifications have been passed to the Zonal and National Headquarters for record Purposes. Furthermore, Having successfully gotten the approval of the State Executive Committee and having notified the Zonal and National Headquarters,, we are about ready to inaugurate Leaders of repute into these standing committees.

I would like to notify our teeming Supporters that the Disciplinary committee would be duly inaugurated next week.

Our party must return to the People while the PARTY REMAINS SUPREME.
Finally, I would like to thank The National Working Committee led by our National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, The BOT Leaders representing Lagos State, Chief Olabode George, Dr Remi Akintoye and Her Excellency Sen. Kofoworola Bucknor, The Chairman of the Ben Obi led Reconciliation Committee, Dr Abimbola Ogunkelu , The Entire Southwest Zonal Executive led by The Vice Chairman Southwest Zone Dr, Eddy Olafeso, my Deputy Chairman, Alh Waliu Hassan, The State Secretary, Mr Muiz Dosumu, The Organising Secretary Alh. Hamzat Amode, The Vice Chairmen, East and Central ,Mr. Taiwo Benedict and Mr. Segun Sowole, The Youth Leader Mr Niyi Adams, The Woman Leader, Mrs Sola Oladeinbo, The State Auditor Mrs Folake Phillips, The Ever Ready Legal Adviser Alh. Muyideen Tejumade , The State Treasurer Alh. Shamshudeen Arobieke, The State Financial Secretary Mr. Tony Edwards , The Públicity Secretary Mr. Taofik Gani, Our ever Loyal LGA Chairmen led by the Chairman of Chairmen Mr. Sunday Olaifa and the Entire Non Working State Committee members led by Mr. Okuneye King, Our indefatigable Leaders, our Financial Donors and finally our Loyal Youths and teeming members for a job well done so far. God Bless you and God Bless the Peoples Democratic Party. Once again I would like to Wish You A Happy Democracy Day.

Engr. Adedeji Doherty
Chairman, PDP, Lagos Chapter.