South West PDP Crisis: Factions Hold Parallel Meetings

It appears to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the South West Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and former Governor Ayo Fayose camps hold parallel meetings.

Makinde has on Thursday convened a Zonal meeting of the party at the Government House Agodi, Ibadan which was attended by notable leaders such as former Gov­ernors of Osun and Ekiti States, Chief Bode George, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Engr. Segun Oni, and a host of others.

24 hours later, Fayose convened his own Zonal meeting in Lagos which has in attendance Hon Bisi Kolawole- State Chairman Ekiti State, Hon Sikirulai Ogundele- State Chairman, Ogun State, Engr Deji Doberty– State Chairman Lagos State, and Elder Sunday Akanfe Deputy State Chair­man Osun State.

Others were Hon Daisi Aki­tan, Zonal Secretary, Hon Mu­stapha Sikiru Banana, Hon Martins Abiloye, Prince Nekan Olagbegi, Mrs Funmi Ogun, Hon Wahab Owokoniran and Mrs Fadeyi Ayo Awolowo.

At the end of the meeting in Lagos, the faction issued a communique signed by the leaders.

The communique reads, “We leaders of the Party gathered in a meeting in La­gos to deliberate on the affairs of our Party, reposition it for greater success hereby resolves as follows:

“We take due notice of the efforts of the National Working Committee geared towards sus­taining our great Party and ex­tending its frontiers across the nation and commend it for its dedication and commitment to the Party.

“We particularly congratu­late them for the victory of the Party in the last gubernatorial election in Edo State.

“That sequel to the above, we also commend and congratu­late Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who was the Chairman of Edo State Cam­paign Committee and his team for their competence, commit­ment, dexterity and successful management of the Edo State election.

“We also pointedly under­score the fact that the approach and attitude to the prosecution of their assignments was the required catalyst for the Party’s success. We also congratulate the people of that State for vot­ing the PDP.

“That we note very sadly the abysmally woeful performance of the Party in the last guber­natorial election in Ondo State. We declare that it is disappoint­ing that we lost that election so colossally in a State where we won the Presidential election, two Senators and three House of Representative seats in 2019.”

In the communique issued by the Makinde’s camp signed by Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro the Zonal Caretaker Chairman, the Leaders among other things set up a reconciliation committee headed by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to reconcile all aggrieved factions.

The communique states, (1) That the leadership of the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde is sacrosanct and leaders of the party in all the six States of the South West Geo-political zone agree to work with him to move the party forward.

(2) That all the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West geopolitical zone agreed that there is evidence of division among individual states which is making it difficult for us to come out victorious in recent elections in the region with specific reference to Ondo State Governorship election despite the rejection of the ruling party in the South West by the electorates.

(3) That all leaders agreed that a concrete and positive steps be taken on the need for unity and cohesion in the party, stating that the zone remains strategic to the PDP if it must win presidential and other national elections in the country.

(4) That a 5 man committee be set up to be known as the South-West PDP Reconciliation Committee to be headed by the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola with the following people as members:

(a) Chief Saka Balogun;

(b) Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele,

(c) Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru and

(d) Barr. Olayinka Kukoyi.

(5) That the leadership of the party in the South West led by Oyo State Governor, HE, Engr. Seyi Makinde should call on the national leadership of the party to bring all aggrieved factions in the party together by ensuring that whatever we agreed upon at the zonal level should be the final decision that will be approved by the national leadership of the party without any interference whatsoever from any individual or group of people.

(6) That the leadership of the party decided to decide the zoning of the Zonal Offices of the party to various States which was democratically debated and agreed upon as follow:

(a) Zonal Chairman – Oyo State

(b) Zonal Secretary – Lagos State,

(c) Zonal Publicity Secretary – Ekiti State,

(d) Zonal Organising Secretary – Ondo State,

(e) Zonal Financial Secretary – Osun State,

(f) Zonal Youth Leader – Osun State,

(g) Zonal Legal Adviser – Ogun State,

(h) Zonal Treasurer – Ogun State,

(i) Zonal Women Leader – Oyo State and

(j) Zonal Auditor – Lagos State.

(k) The meeting also resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, additional slots of ex-officio members be given to Ekiti and Ondo states in view of the fact that they would occupy only one office each in the zone.”

(7) The PDP leaders also agreed that they should used the occasion to call on the Federal Government and the National Assembly not to go-ahead with the proposed clampdown on social media, saying the move will infringe on Nigerians’ freedom of expression. Instead it was agreed that they should called on the Federal Government to strengthen existing laws to prevent the abuse of the freedom of expression.