Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Bayo Dayo, has declared that there is no more faction in the party, boasting the party machinery is more cohesive and ready to dislodge the ruling party in the State come 2023.
Dayo said though intra party crisis had almost crippled the PDP in Ogun, he had embarked on fence-mending in the past two years to ensure that warring groups within the party were brought together.
The former party chairman, who spoke on phone with Daily Sun at the weekend, said it was his peace efforts that culminated into the State congress which produced the new party officials that will pilot the affairs of PDP in Ogun.
He said the party leadership headed by him could not organise any congress due to the COVID-19 lockdown since the expiration of his tenure in May, adding that he was later mandated by the national headquarters of the party to conduct the congress, which was held on July 27 in Abeokuta.
Dayo explained that the party’s constitution clearly stipulates that he had the power to conduct congress as the outgoing party chairman for the new party executive committee members to emerge.
He added that a recent court judgement equally stated that only congress organised by Dayo-led executive committee would be legal in Ogun.
‘There is no more other side in Ogun PDP; we had many groups before now, but that is over now. All I have been trying to do in the last two years is to make sure we come together, and we have made peace by having a genuine continuation. We have a very bright future as a party and all I can tell you is that there are no groups anymore in Ogun PDP. We have all come together to stay under one umbrella.
‘You know we had a judgment couple of days ago, whereby it was stated that only the congress that is organized by Adebayo Dayo-led executive is legal in Ogun State. I am Adebayo Dayo; I relied on the power given to me by the judgement in suit number LAC/636/2016, that is the judgement that empowered me and my executives to be in the office up to the time of the congress, and to hand over the result sheet of the congress to the headquarters in Abuja. And that was what I did on July 27.
‘At the congress, there were representatives of the southwest and the national headquarters of the PDP in attendance. And as soon the congress was concluded, I handed over the result to them for onward submission to the national headquarters of the party. It was only then that I concluded my assignment and it was only then, that I was truly detached from the office. We will do the proper handing over to the new executive led by Sikirulai Ogundele,’ Dayo stated.