PDP Convention: Southwest Stakeholders Endorse Oyinlola, Ologunagba
- Governor Seyi Makinde may lose out in his bid to ensure that his candidate emerges as the PDP deputy national chairman (south)
- The Oyo state governor is rumoured to be sponsoring the ambition of Oyo state former deputy governor, Taofeek Arapaja
- Some PDP chieftains from the southwest have forged a united front to ensure that Arapaja does not clinch the position
Lagos - Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the southwest zone have concluded negotiations on candidates to adopt as consensus options.
Legit.ng gathered that a consultative meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday, October 27 by the stakeholders concluded on former Osun state governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the deputy national chairman (south) and Debo Ologunagba as the national publicity secretary of the party.
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Sources privy to the meeting say the move is a last-ditch effort by the southwest PDP chieftains to secure a united front in the national convention to elect national officers.
Leaders of the party who organised the meeting, according to the source, are dissatisfied by the highhanded disposition of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and thereby forging a united position to checkmate the only PDP governor from the region.
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The meeting, which was learnt to have been attended by state executive officials and elders from Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states decided to throw their support behind Oyinlola on account that he is competent and was the first person to signify intention for the position.
In addition to that is their claim that the emergence of Oyo state former deputy governor, Taofeek Arapaja was a creation of Governor Makinde.
The source said majority of party officials from other states in the southwest are not happy with the way Governor Makinde has handled the affairs of the party.
The source said:
“The PDP in the southwest is one big family and we recognise the fact that the governor is the leader of the party in his state. In the current situation where Governor Makinde is the only PDP governor from the southwest, we recognize him to be the leader of the party from the zone.
“But leadership requires that you take everybody along. When we organized election for the position of zonal chairman for the PDP in the southwest, Governor Makinde sponsored Arapaja, and even though a large number of people went against his position, we still delivered his candidate in the person of the self-same Taofeek Arapaja from Oyo state.
“Again, this time around, after we, the stakeholders of the party had micro-zoned the position of the deputy national chairman to Osun state, and with Prince Oyinlola signifying intention for the post, our leader, Governor Makinde went behind us to bring this same Arapaja from Oyo state against our wish.
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“Oyo state alone, is not southwest and we would have expected that this time around, the governor would generously concede the position of deputy national chairman to someone from another state in the zone but he didn't do that.
“Now, remember that the Osun state governorship election is next to the 2023 general election. It is one election that is crucial for the PDP to win.
“We, the stakeholders, believe that Prince Oyinlola, having been governor in Osun state and with records of his achievements in office, should be the person to lead our campaign in the Osun state governorship election.”
Group accuses party governors of having a stranglehold on PDP
Recall that a group, Northern Youth Solidarity Forum (NYSF) has called on party members and supporters in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to extricate the party from the stranglehold of the governors.
The PDP group urged party members to rise to the occasion, especially on the current burning issues of zoning of party offices in the country before it is too late.
In a statement released by the leader of the group, Abdulkadir Dantata, the NYSF alerted on the looming danger in the country and warned that, if nothing is done to discourage the continuous control of the PDP by the governors, the party may be heading for doom.
Ologunagba Blames APC-Led Govt Over Rising Cases of Insecurity, Poverty, Human Rights Abuses
Meanwhile, Ologunagba has blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government for the current challenges facing Nigeria.
He stated that the APC government is responsible for the rising cases of insecurity poverty, human rights abuses, and nepotism in the country.
The former House of Representatives member called on President Muhammadu Buhari to begin to prepare his handover notes, adding that Nigerians are tired of the APC.
Source: Legit.ng
