Nationnewslead reports that All is not well with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State. The party is caught in the web of leadership crisis rocking the party in the South West region. The South West PDP is torn between former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. Makinde, the only governor in the South West, is regarded as the leader of the party in the region but some PDP leaders felt they should be accorded respect in their respective states.
The leadership tussle between Fayose and Makinde, according to sources, is connected to the 2023 presidential election. It was what many believed led the PDP to perform poorly at the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State as some PDP leaders believed the affairs of the party should not be dictated from Oyo State.
Internal wrangling within Ondo PDP was exposed after the November 12 party leaders meeting in Ibadan and presided over by Makinde. At the meeting, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola was named as head of a five-man committee to reconcile aggrieved members in the region as well as ensure unity and success in future elections.
Other members of the Oyinlola committee are Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru; Chief Saka Balogun and Olayinka Kukoyi.
However, a parallel PDP South West leaders meeting was held in Lagos State and attended by some Ondo PDP leaders, led by immediate past South West National Vice Chairman of the party, Eddy Olafeso.
At the Fayose’s meeting, a five-man panel to study, assess and identify factors responsible for the party’s failure in the Ondo governorship election headed by Chief Bola Olu-Ojo was set up. The panel is to examine all issues relating to election planning, management and prosecution, identify all lapses and make recommendations to prevent shoddy performances in future elections. On the forth coming PDP zonal congress, the Fayose faction zoned the positions of the National Vice Chairman and Zonal Publicity Secretarr to Ondo State.
The Ondo PDP outrightly rejected the committee set up by the Fayose faction. It said it was disheartening that “the same characters who received money from All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to sabotage, openly canvass and distributed money to buy votes for APC to turn round and lament “defeat” of the PDP in Ondo State.
“The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo is willing to weed out the bad eggs amongst us and those who have made themselves ready tools in the hands of unpatriotic elements driven by over ambition.
“Our party is organised and peaceful. We shall not allow outsiders to infiltrate our ranks to foment any kind of trouble and bring about crisis that have been managed in the past. Those who are responsible for our present challenges should not dare us as we shall bare our fangs if further provoked.”
To show its determination to instill discipline within the party, Ondo PDP chairman, Fatai Adams set up a disciplinary committee headed by Prof. Jejelola Jones, pursuant to Section 57(1) and 57(2) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as Amended). Other members of the committee are Gidado Ola, Ade Adeniyi, Adejare Andrew Orina, Solomon Tunyan Esq, Akin Layo Akinbibola and Bashorun Banji Abitogun (Secretary).
Olafeso said he has the backing and support of a majority of the Ondo PDP. He said it was a few of the Ondo PDP executive that are against the Fayose faction.
He said: “There was a meeting in Ibadan and some of us were left behind and those left behind decided to hold meeting in Lagos under the leadership of former Governor Fayose.
“Our party should calm down. All I am asking the party members is to cool the temperature and look for what is good for the party in 2023. We have fought many battles and won majority of them. What we want at this moment is for us to be united. I know that at the appointed time both Governor Seyi Makinde and former Governor Ayodele Fayose will sit at the table of brotherhood on this matter. I hear a lot of rumours despite what happened in the governorship election that some people are gathering to suspend some of us that we would not take part in the Zonal Congress. That would be wrong.
Olafeso added: “What we need to find out is who has enough support to become members of the Zonal Congress. Any attempt to begin to blackmail people, to trump up charges against them will be rebuffed. What we are asking is for the entire six states to come together so that we can rescue Nigeria from this free fall to anarchy and misery. Whatever is happening we will resolve overtime.
“Why was a meeting held in Ibadan and some people were left behind. There are constitutional provisions that give room for the number of persons that will attend a Zonal meeting. There is no PDP party meeting I cannot attend in this country. It is not the Lagos meeting that is dividing the house. It is those that met without recourse to the constitution that is creating problem. We are going to resolve it and the majority will carry the day.
“Congress will be held and winners will emerge and we continue our journey for unification.
“Makinde is undoubtedly the leader of the PDP in the South West and he has been acting as a leader. There are six states in the zone and each state has the right to manage its affairs. Makinde’s leadership is to unite all of us. That is what he has been doing. Nobody denies him that. Nobody will doubt that fact that a former Governor is a leader in his own state. It has never happen for one individual to take decision on behalf of all the six states.”
On the allegation of sabotaging the governorship election, Olafeso said: “Prove. We need evidence that we sabotage the election. We need evidence. I have been in this party for 20 years. It is not easy for anybody to trump up charges against some of us because we are above board in our loyalty to the party. We have sacrificed the most for this party. Our party was wholesome but it is divided into three now. Look at what happened when we were together. We performed well in the 2019 general elections. That shows how unity can affect the outcome of an elections. We must bring back all our people.
“I am a party person. I have been beaten black and blue in an elections. If the disciplinary committee call me and I know you are not witch-hunting me I will go there. The laws of the land are also there to protect individuals from blackmail or people being subjected to trump up charges. I am a proud member of the PDP and I will remain there.”
But, the Ondo PDP chairman, who denied that the disciplinary committee was to witch hunt party members loyal to Fayose said it was in line with the party’s constitution to have such body.
His words: “We are law abiding and will always follow the path of the truth. As of today, the meeting held in Ibadan was convened by the Zonal Caretaker Chairman who is the recognised body to call such meeting at the instance of the leader, Governor Seyi Makinde. He is the only serving governor the PDP has in South West. The committee set up in Ibadan is to look at issues in the party in the six states in the South West. It is to make sure we are of the same page, we are one united family. To ensure PDP is put in a position to win election any time any day. Any other meeting held somewhere is an aberration.
On the disciplinary committee, Adams said: “Our party constitution makes room for disciplinary committee as a Standing Committee. It is recognised by the Constitution of the party. If anybody is making news over disciplinary committee, such person must check him or her self. The Disciplinary Committee is a standing committee. We are doing the right thing to put our party in good shape.
“If you do not have skeleton in your cupboard, you wouldn’t be jittery when anybody is doing the right thing. We are playing constitutional roles. Before the meeting of the South West, we had received series of petition as regards last election. The state executive can’t take decision like that. We have to refer it to a body that will look at it holistically by inviting those affected. We are not targeting anybody. We are interested in the peace and unity of the party in Ondo, the South West and Nigeria as a whole.
“As the state chairman, I am aware that some of our members compromised during the elections and if anybody partake in such role, he may be feeling all sort of negative reactions that the committee is about them.”
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