From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, crisis that may lead to factionalisation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State is gathering momentum.
The indications emerged in Ibadan, the state capital, on Thursday during a well-attended PDP stakeholders’ meeting held at Jogor Event Centre.
Daily Sun observed that majority of the PDP stakeholders in attendance seemed to have fallen apart from Governor Seyi Makinde of the state.
The roll calm at the meeting included the State Youth Leader of the party, Asiwaju Adekola Adeoye; State Assistant Treasurer, Sarafa Olaoriye; former deputy governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarumi; forrner Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Ismail Aborode; former Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, and Michael Okunlade. The list also comprised Matthew Abioye, former state lawmaker; Is Nureni Akanbi; Femi Babalola, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeniyan, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, and many others.
A eight-point communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Nureni Akanbi, and Hazeem Gbolarumi, read in part: “The Stakeholders condemn in the strongest terms the spate of insecurity in the State and calls on the State Governor to wake up to his primary responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizenry.
“The PDP stakeholders commiserate with the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in Ogbomosho, Ibarapa and other parts of the State. The body prays that God should comfort their families. The stakeholders have resolved to save the PDP from mismanagement and egoistic tendencies of the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde.
“The Stakeholders frowns at the Governor’s attitude of giving Party patronage to non Party members as against genuine Party members who laboured to bring the PDP back to power in Oyo State as demonstrated during the last Local Government election where the Governor ‘ donated’ 4 chairmen and vice and 48 Councillorship seats to his friends in ADC.
“Today is to alert the leadership of PDP and members of PDP across Nigeria and general public that Oyo State PDP has been factionalized into two – one is headed by the Governor and the other by the leaders and stakeholders across the 33 local governments as evidence at this meeting. This is due to governor’s highhandedness, recalcitrant attitude and lack of leadership within the party as expected of a governor.
“We are calling on the National Leadership to dissolve Oyo State PDP Executive who are stooges of the governor and have no interest of the party at heart ahead of congresses coming up later in the year so as to give a sense of belonging to our teeming members and supporters in Oyo State. The caretaker committee should be put in place to reorganize the party ahead of the congresses to allow for free and fair congresses.
“The stakeholders call on the national leadership of PDP to urgently step in to rescue the Party in Oyo State from the grip of the Governor who is running the Party like his personal estate. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
