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Tag: Lagos PDP

  • Lagos PDP crisis takes new turn

    Lagos PDP crisis takes new turn

     Twists in the crisis rocking the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been attributed to external influences, particularly those that have left the fold, but are still interested in using it as a springboard for the 2019 general elections. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, who has been following the matter, reports. 

    THE crisis rocking the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is far from abating. The chapter is under two factional leaders. Both factions have been fighting over the party’s headquarters located in the Shogunle/Ikeja area. The one led by Hon. Moshood Salvador occupies the secretariat. The other faction, led by Mr. Segun Adewale, had attempted without success to dislodge the Salvador-led group from the place. The Salvador camp is loyal to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee. The Adewale group is backed by the Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff-led faction.
    Adewale has attributed the crisis rocking the party to external forces. He said the crisis was being orchestrated by some forces struggling for the soul of the party, ahead of the 2019 presidential election. The factional chairman specifically accused former Vice President Abubakar Atiku and former National Deputy Chairman of the PDP Chief Bode George of destabilising the party.
    In a statement personally signed by him, Adewale said the divisive elements were working from outside to get the PDP’s nod for the 2019 election, rather than coming back to join hands with other loyal leaders in the ongoing rebuilding effort in the party.
    Adewale accused the duo and some members loyal to them, particularly those who he said had benefitted from the party, of being responsible for its dwindling fortune PDP. He said some of them had defected to the other parties. Yet, they want to ride on the back of the PDP to achieve their aims.
    He, however, insisted that the Makarfi-led faction was working with Atiku to destablise PDP. He also dismissed the accusation that Senator Modu-Sheriff was an agent of the APC.
    The factional chairman said the accusation was a figment of the imagination of some paid elements within the party. He added: “These agents are working toward the nomination Atiku as our presidential flag-bearer in the 2019 general election.
    “They have resorted to cheap blackmail as it is becoming obvious that the efforts of Modu-Sheriff at frustrating every attempt to impose a non-party member as our presidential nominee are beginning to gain the attention of well meaning members.”
    But, the accused persons have debunked the claims as unfounded, noting that the former Lagos West PDP senatorial district candidate is just being mischievous. Atiku said it was ridiculous to accuse him of working from outside the PDP.
    Atiku loyalists debunked the claim of the factional Lagos PDP chairman as lies. They said it “only added his voice to a topic that has remained a heresy”.
    At the office late last week, it all was as silent as a graveyard; some workers at the secretariat were seen performing skeletal services. When the PDP was in power at the centre, its Lagos secretariat was a beehive of activities; notwithstanding the fact that the state has been governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) since the return to civil rule in 1999.
    Some chieftains said the development was due to the various litigations over the leadership of the party at the national level.
    A source that until the courts proceedings are disposed, a resolution of the crisis in the chapter should not be expected. It added that what is happening in Lagos is not peculiar; a similar situation is playing out in many states where the PDP is not in control of government.
    The crisis in the Lagos chapter, according to political watchers, started when Salvador, a former lawmaker emerged the chairman. He took over from Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd).
    The former lawmaker said he would turn the party around and ensure unity and peace. But, observers say peace is yet to return to the fold, because it went into the last general elections as a divided house.
    Salvador, who claimed that he emerged with a popular vote, has continued to operate with caution, condoning off the secretariat with a retinue of security men each time the party has an engagement.
    He said: “There are no more warring factions in the Lagos PDP. After my election, we never received any complaints from anybody or heard that there is another faction elsewhere. To the best of my knowledge, Lagos PDP is one. If there is anybody complaining, we are ready to discuss with them and resolve our differences.”
    But, the faction led by Adewale had challenged him, saying that Salvador’s emergence was ill conceived and devoid of the popular support. He called on Nigerians to ignore the Salvador leadership and reach out to him, as far as the affairs of the PDP in Lagos State is concerned.
    He also appealed to the media to avoid granting interviews to members of the Salvador-led executive, saying it was an aberration to do so.
    In view of the support Adewale receives from the Sheriff-led leadership, he had attempted to dislodge the Salvador group from the secretariat. For instance, during last year’s Lagos PDP General Assembly for the ratification of the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to proceed with the task of rebuilding the party, there was pandemonium.
    It was alleged that he entered the secretariat to engage the supporters of the Makarfi-led faction in a fight, with the aid of some youths. This caused some uproar at the secretariat. Organising Secretary, Taiwo Kuye, and two other members, sustained injuries in the process and were later rushed to the hospital.
    The meeting later resumed, but it was held amidst fear and suspicion. Deputy Chairman, Sakirudeen Olabiwonnu, reportedly calmed the uprising in the secretariat.
    He apologised for the interruption, adding that it was caused by divisive elements. He added that no individual can kill the collective aspirations of the people and that those who want to hold the party to ransom will be disgraced.
    Olabiwonnu said what was paramount for the party to be taken to greater heights, to give it a chance to bounce back to power. He said: “We will not allow those bent on creating problem to distract us. God will support us to surmount the internal wrangling. What happened today was the height of indiscipline. I have moved across party lines, but have never witnessed this type of distraction. I was in the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD); there was never a time a member had the effrontery to take the party to court.
    “It is in our constitution that you must solve the problem within; and, if you remember, our founding fathers used to say anything that happened in the PDP was a family affair. These people are telling us that they are not part of the family. For any person to come and try to put commotion into what we do or cultivate court cases against any member shows that the person is not normal.”
    Adewale’s aide, Mr. Tosin Odunsi, said they were not in the secretariat to fight anybody, but to restate that the due process must be followed. He said: “Adewale is the popular chairman. He has been supporting the party and he wants to make the party great. But, what we are saying is that we want change in leadership, because those who have been leading the Lagos chapter have not won any election in the last 16 years.”
    Observers say the party will bounce back, despite its past challenges. Lagos State PDP chieftain, Hajia Tolani Animasahun, said there is no crisis in Lagos PDP.
    She said: “What is being peddled is a figment of the imagination of those who do not actually wish the pasty well. We are in 2017 and our preoccupation is to position the party the ahead of the 2019 election.
    “The PDP is not leaving anything to chance. It is reaching out to Nigerians and members of the party to be united in order to restore hope to the people. They have been at the receiving end of dubious policies and bad governance.
    “This is not the time to be talking of Lagos PDP crisis, but how the country can get back on course. Nigerians need food on their table; they need electricity, employment and security.”
    The Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofiq Gani, said the hullabaloo was not true. He said Lagos PDP was at peace. He noted that the misadventure facing the country was the leadership of the APC that has made life unbearable for the people.
    He said Nigerians have woken up to the reality that they took the wrong decision to support the APC that lacks ability to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people. He maintained that the leadership of the PDP will continue to engage in meaningful talk until it finds its way out the entanglements it has found itself.
    He called on politicians to live up to their responsibilities, stressing that the people have been shortchanged on many occasions.
    He added: “I am very sure our people have learnt their lesson. They would examine politicians to the bone marrow, when next they approach them for their supports and vote. We are equally using this occasion to urge the Lagos State Government to conduct council polls, so that the people can elect their representatives.”

  • Lagos PDP crisis takes new turn

    Lagos PDP crisis takes new turn

     Twists in the crisis rocking the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been attributed to external influences, particularly those that have left the fold, but are still interested in using it as a springboard for the 2019 general elections. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, who has been following the matter, reports. 

    THE crisis rocking the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is far from abating. The chapter is under two factional leaders. Both factions have been fighting over the party’s headquarters located in the Shogunle/Ikeja area. The one led by Hon. Moshood Salvador occupies the secretariat. The other faction, led by Mr. Segun Adewale, had attempted without success to dislodge the Salvador-led group from the place. The Salvador camp is loyal to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee. The Adewale group is backed by the Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff-led faction.
    Adewale has attributed the crisis rocking the party to external forces. He said the crisis was being orchestrated by some forces struggling for the soul of the party, ahead of the 2019 presidential election. The factional chairman specifically accused former Vice President Abubakar Atiku and former National Deputy Chairman of the PDP Chief Bode George of destabilising the party.
    In a statement personally signed by him, Adewale said the divisive elements were working from outside to get the PDP’s nod for the 2019 election, rather than coming back to join hands with other loyal leaders in the ongoing rebuilding effort in the party.
    Adewale accused the duo and some members loyal to them, particularly those who he said had benefitted from the party, of being responsible for its dwindling fortune PDP. He said some of them had defected to the other parties. Yet, they want to ride on the back of the PDP to achieve their aims.
    He, however, insisted that the Makarfi-led faction was working with Atiku to destablise PDP. He also dismissed the accusation that Senator Modu-Sheriff was an agent of the APC.
    The factional chairman said the accusation was a figment of the imagination of some paid elements within the party. He added: “These agents are working toward the nomination Atiku as our presidential flag-bearer in the 2019 general election.
    “They have resorted to cheap blackmail as it is becoming obvious that the efforts of Modu-Sheriff at frustrating every attempt to impose a non-party member as our presidential nominee are beginning to gain the attention of well meaning members.”
    But, the accused persons have debunked the claims as unfounded, noting that the former Lagos West PDP senatorial district candidate is just being mischievous. Atiku said it was ridiculous to accuse him of working from outside the PDP.
    Atiku loyalists debunked the claim of the factional Lagos PDP chairman as lies. They said it “only added his voice to a topic that has remained a heresy”.
    At the office late last week, it all was as silent as a graveyard; some workers at the secretariat were seen performing skeletal services. When the PDP was in power at the centre, its Lagos secretariat was a beehive of activities; notwithstanding the fact that the state has been governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) since the return to civil rule in 1999.
    Some chieftains said the development was due to the various litigations over the leadership of the party at the national level.
    A source that until the courts proceedings are disposed, a resolution of the crisis in the chapter should not be expected. It added that what is happening in Lagos is not peculiar; a similar situation is playing out in many states where the PDP is not in control of government.
    The crisis in the Lagos chapter, according to political watchers, started when Salvador, a former lawmaker emerged the chairman. He took over from Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd).
    The former lawmaker said he would turn the party around and ensure unity and peace. But, observers say peace is yet to return to the fold, because it went into the last general elections as a divided house.
    Salvador, who claimed that he emerged with a popular vote, has continued to operate with caution, condoning off the secretariat with a retinue of security men each time the party has an engagement.
    He said: “There are no more warring factions in the Lagos PDP. After my election, we never received any complaints from anybody or heard that there is another faction elsewhere. To the best of my knowledge, Lagos PDP is one. If there is anybody complaining, we are ready to discuss with them and resolve our differences.”
    But, the faction led by Adewale had challenged him, saying that Salvador’s emergence was ill conceived and devoid of the popular support. He called on Nigerians to ignore the Salvador leadership and reach out to him, as far as the affairs of the PDP in Lagos State is concerned.
    He also appealed to the media to avoid granting interviews to members of the Salvador-led executive, saying it was an aberration to do so.
    In view of the support Adewale receives from the Sheriff-led leadership, he had attempted to dislodge the Salvador group from the secretariat. For instance, during last year’s Lagos PDP General Assembly for the ratification of the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to proceed with the task of rebuilding the party, there was pandemonium.
    It was alleged that he entered the secretariat to engage the supporters of the Makarfi-led faction in a fight, with the aid of some youths. This caused some uproar at the secretariat. Organising Secretary, Taiwo Kuye, and two other members, sustained injuries in the process and were later rushed to the hospital.
    The meeting later resumed, but it was held amidst fear and suspicion. Deputy Chairman, Sakirudeen Olabiwonnu, reportedly calmed the uprising in the secretariat.
    He apologised for the interruption, adding that it was caused by divisive elements. He added that no individual can kill the collective aspirations of the people and that those who want to hold the party to ransom will be disgraced.
    Olabiwonnu said what was paramount for the party to be taken to greater heights, to give it a chance to bounce back to power. He said: “We will not allow those bent on creating problem to distract us. God will support us to surmount the internal wrangling. What happened today was the height of indiscipline. I have moved across party lines, but have never witnessed this type of distraction. I was in the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD); there was never a time a member had the effrontery to take the party to court.
    “It is in our constitution that you must solve the problem within; and, if you remember, our founding fathers used to say anything that happened in the PDP was a family affair. These people are telling us that they are not part of the family. For any person to come and try to put commotion into what we do or cultivate court cases against any member shows that the person is not normal.”
    Adewale’s aide, Mr. Tosin Odunsi, said they were not in the secretariat to fight anybody, but to restate that the due process must be followed. He said: “Adewale is the popular chairman. He has been supporting the party and he wants to make the party great. But, what we are saying is that we want change in leadership, because those who have been leading the Lagos chapter have not won any election in the last 16 years.”
    Observers say the party will bounce back, despite its past challenges. Lagos State PDP chieftain, Hajia Tolani Animasahun, said there is no crisis in Lagos PDP.
    She said: “What is being peddled is a figment of the imagination of those who do not actually wish the pasty well. We are in 2017 and our preoccupation is to position the party the ahead of the 2019 election.
    “The PDP is not leaving anything to chance. It is reaching out to Nigerians and members of the party to be united in order to restore hope to the people. They have been at the receiving end of dubious policies and bad governance.
    “This is not the time to be talking of Lagos PDP crisis, but how the country can get back on course. Nigerians need food on their table; they need electricity, employment and security.”
    The Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofiq Gani, said the hullabaloo was not true. He said Lagos PDP was at peace. He noted that the misadventure facing the country was the leadership of the APC that has made life unbearable for the people.
    He said Nigerians have woken up to the reality that they took the wrong decision to support the APC that lacks ability to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people. He maintained that the leadership of the PDP will continue to engage in meaningful talk until it finds its way out the entanglements it has found itself.
    He called on politicians to live up to their responsibilities, stressing that the people have been shortchanged on many occasions.
    He added: “I am very sure our people have learnt their lesson. They would examine politicians to the bone marrow, when next they approach them for their supports and vote. We are equally using this occasion to urge the Lagos State Government to conduct council polls, so that the people can elect their representatives.”

  • ‘Jonathan didn’t win election for Lagos PDP’

    ‘Jonathan didn’t win election for Lagos PDP’

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Chief Moshood Salvador, has promised to unite the warring factions and make the party a formidable opposition. In this interview with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN, he speaks about the proposed local government poll, reconciliation moves by the national leaders and other issues.

    Observers say the money spent by former President Goodluck Jonathan enabled the Lagos PDP to win some seats in the Lagos State House of Assembly and National Assembly. What’s your comment?

    I am amazed when people insinuate that it was millions of naira and dollar that Jonathan brought to Lagos during the 2015 campaign that was responsible for the PDP impressive performance in the state. The question is if Jonathan had spent that much in Lagos why didn’t he win the presidential election in Lagos? Similarly, President Buhari campaigned in Rivers and lost despite the financial support of Rotimi Amaechi who was the state governor then.

    Our candidates for the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly won on merit. They were accepted by the electorate. Lagos PDP performance in the last general elections was not a fluke. We worked hard and convinced the electorate on the programmes of our party and the integrity of our candidates. Look another election is approaching we will prove to critics that our performance was not accidental. I didn’t see the money they said Jonathan brought to Lagos. People are no longer interested in money and material wealth offered by politicians. It’s no longer the determinant factor but the antecedent, personality and the integrity of the candidate.

    Why is it that the division in Lagos PDP becomes pronounced at every election?

    It is not only PDP that is divided; APC too is always divided at the election time. The reason is that the two parties are formidable. The aspirants believe both the PDP and the APC are strong enough for them to win election and actualise their dream. I promise that during my tenure as party chairman, there won’t be division in the Lagos PDP before, during and after elections. Immediately after I was elected, I have invited the dissenting group and listened to their grievances which we are addressing. All of us in the party have agreed to work together for the progress of the party.

    Some politicians don’t know what they want and how to go about it. Without peace you can’t actualise your mission. It is only when there is peace in the party that you can achieve your aims and objectives of being a party member. There must be peace within the political party to forge ahead.

    Are you surprised that two candidates emerged for the party’s national chairmanship conceded to Lagos State?

    The position of the PDP national chairman was zoned to the south by the National Working Committee (NWC). It was zoned to the southwest by the party leaders in the south. When the Southwest leaders met the position was zoned to Lagos and Ogun State chapters. Initially, Otunba Gbenga Daniel from Ogun State had shown interest just like Chief BodeGeorge from Lagos State. At a stage Daniel said he was no longer interested in the race; he withdrew.

    What happened thereafter? The interference of outsiders was responsible for having two aspirants from Lagos. I am happy that before the end of the convention in Port Harcourt, they realised their mistakes. We have put our house in order. I can assure you it will not happen again. If the opportunity comes up again we are going to present one candidate.

    What is the true position on the reconciliation move by the two PDP warring groups?

    The true position is that reconciliation is still in process. You don’t expect reconciliation process to end in a day. It takes time to unite warring groups and to restore normalcy. The key issue is that the leaders should identify the fundamental problem and solve it once and for all. The inauguration of the reconciliation committee will be done by the two leaders: Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Markafi. Both sides have nominated their members; 12 from each side. Since both of them are from the same party, they will put their acts together.

    In spite of the reconciliation moves, Ondo PDP is having two governorship candidates. How can it be resolved before November 26?

    Let me make it clear that the Ondo chapter of the PDP presented only one candidate in person of Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN). But a Federal High Court has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace his name with that of Chief Jimoh Ibrahim. Jegede has appealed against the judgment. It is possible for the appellate court to decide the matter before November 26, the day of election or after election.

    What is your assessment of Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s administration?

    I wish him best of luck. I say this because the people of Lagos irrespective of party leaning should pray for his success. Whether you are in PDP or APC we must pray for him to succeed, otherwise it is we people that will pay for his failure.

    Are you worried that the date for local government election in Lagos State has not been fixed?

    We are much concerned by the lukewarm attitude of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) towards the long overdue local council election. I doubt if the electoral body knows the importance of council poll in a democratic setting. It is the government that is very close to the people; it provides more than 70 percent service delivery to them. The people have the right to choose who represents them at the third tier level just like other tiers of government. We know what to do if the state electoral body continues dragging its feet on this issue. We will take the matter beyond the presidency, we will table it before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations to let them know that things are not working as it supposed to be under democratic rule in Lagos State. Under my leadership of the PDP in Lagos State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) government can no longer continue to short change us simply because we are in opposition. There will be no hiding place for them anymore.

    How prepared is Lagos PDP for the council poll?

    We are well prepared for the local government election. If they decide to hold it tomorrow, we won’t be taken unaware. It is the APC that is afraid of losing that is why they are dilly dallying. You know it is someone who is at the top that is always afraid of coming down. Our structure is sound. We are gearing towards the coming election. We are very sure of victory.

    But we have not seen sign of preparedness from the PDP aspirants compared to APC aspirants whose posters have flooded the streets.

    The reason for that is because LASIEC has not come up with the time table for the election. It will be a futile effort putting up posters and banners for the election you are not sure of when it will hold. What we need now is regular consultation between the aspirants and the electorate; this is the time for the aspirants to work underground and show case their programmes to the members of the community. I believe posters have their role to play but we haven’t got to that stage.

    How would your candidates emerge, through primary or consensus arrangement?

    There has never been a time that the PDP didn’t conduct primary for elective offices. It is part of our culture. For instance, we are having a bye-election in Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency very soon, we are going to conduct a fresh primary through which our candidate will emerge. Ordinarily, we would have adopted the former candidate who lost the election in 2015 but we still prefer to hold a new primary for a better and acceptable candidate to emerge.

  • Lagos PDP in search of elusive peace

    Lagos PDP in search of elusive peace

     Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in a protracted crisis. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines its implications on the future of the troubled chapter.

    The Lagos State People Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be sinking deeper into crises. Since its inception, the chapter  has not known peace. The issue at stake is the struggle for the party’s soul. The chapter has recorded the highest turnover of party chairmen: Chief Olorunfemi Basorun, Alhaji Murtala Asorobi, Chief Alaba Williams, Bayo Adebayo, Hon Setonji  Koshoedo and Captain Tunji Shelle.

    Amid persistent crisis, many founding members have defected to the ruling party. Many  chieftains believe that, since Chief Olabode George became the party leader,  peace has eluded the chapter. There are three factions in the party namely: The Establishment led by George, the Union and Non-Align Group. All of them are working at cross purposes.  George’s group is in control of the party executive to the detriment of the other factions.

    Key party leaders are in arms against George. They complained that he has aborted efforts to unite the polarised chapter by taking unilateral steps considered infuriated to other party leaders. Others have accused him of imposition of candidates for elective offices especially governorship candidates.

    The crisis assumed a new dimension, shortly after the general elections. Thirty four of the 49 members of the State Working Committee (SWC) sacked  chairman, Captain Shelle,  for what they called mismanagement of party funds and unilateral decisions that were detrimental to the interests of the party in the state.

    The Secretary, Mr Wahab Owokoniran, said the decision was taken after a critical look at the recommendation of the disciplinary committee set up by his faction to investigate a 14-point allegations levelled against Shelle.  He said: “We members of the executive committee have agreed that the way the party is being run should not be allowed. The party was not well run before, during and after the elections. There is need for restructuring. If we want to restructure there is no way for the chairman to remain in office”. He disclosed that the disciplinary committee had recommended expulsion or impeachment of Shelle but “we resolved to impeach him”.

    Analysts say the bitter struggle in Lagos PDP underscores the personality crisis and ego war between George and his arch rival, Musiliu Obanikoro. They said the current face off was the continuation of the battle of supremacy that preceded the party’s governorship primary. The decision of Obanikoro to vie for the party’s ticket re-opened the old rivalry between him and George and former Minister of Works,Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe who were the prominent PDP leaders that backed Jimi Agbaje.

    They accused Obanikoro of joining the race to cause trouble. George said it was curious that he resigned as a minister few months after he was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan. He also accused Obanikoro of peddling rumour that he had been endorsed by the Presidency. His summation was that Obanikoro’s candidacy would dent the image of the party and make it lose the election in the state.

    Obanikoro,the former Minister of State for foreign Affairs returned the missiles, saying the retired naval officer and former military governor of Ondo Sate was his rival at the primaries and not Agbaje, who he described as a foreigner in the chapter. At the venue of the primaries in Oregun, Ikeja, the supporters of Obanikoro and Agbaje clashed. They exchanged gun shots to intimidate delegates and observers. At the end, Obanikoro rejected the results of the governorship shadow election won by Agbaje. He went to court to challenge the validity of the result. The former minister alleged that George manipulated the result in favour of Agbaje. It took the presidency intervention and promise to reappoint Obanikoro as minister before he could withdraw the suit.

    A chieftain said the chapter went into the general elections as a divided house. Reflecting on the division, he said the party was weakened by the escalation of the crisis that preceded the primaries. In spite of the last minute reconciliation by the Presidency, the party was not united. Until we are able to resolve the deep seated animosity between George and Obanikoro, the PDP will never produce governor in Lagos, he affirmed.

    “Agbaje’s defection to the PDP few weeks before the governorship primaries escalated the crisis. Some members perceived it as deliberate attempt to block the chances of Obanikoro. His teeming supporters believe that only Obanikoro can win the governorship election for the PDP in Lagos State. Though Obanikoro remained in the party despite losing the primary and campaigned for Agbaje, but not all his supporters worked for the party. In fact some of his supporters worked against party interest,” he stated.

    A group within the party, Concerned Members of the State Caucus, and PDP Stakeholders in Lagos have accused Obanikoro of sponsoring the removal of Shelle as  chairman. The group alleged that Obanikoro bribed 34 members of the  State Working Committee to sack the chairman and to pave way for him to hijack the party structure and facilitate his emergence as the party governorship candidate in 2019.

    “We know Obanikoro gave the 34 SWC members money to remove the chairman. When will the PDP stop this politics of corruption and imposition? The person who wants to be acting chairman lacks profile, capacity and political expediency to lead us. We believe Obanikoro’s action to sponsor the removal of the chairman and replace him with his stooge is to demystify George and pave way for his political ambition to run for governor in 2019″, the group alleged.

    But, Obanikoro has exonerated himself from the crisis resulting in the sack of Shelle. He said he never influenced members of SWC in taking the decision that led to removal of the chairman. However, he hailed the sack of the Chairman at a meeting with the elected Lagos PDP members in the general elections

    There are indications that the crisis at the national level has a link with the removal of Shelle because of his closeness to George, who had been at loggerhead with the National Secretary of the PDP, Professor Wale Oladipo. According to party sources, the call by George for the resignation of Oladipo did not go down well with Obanikoro, who is a close ally of Oladipo.

    Reflecting on the crisis, the Financial Secretary, Chief Taiwo Kuye said that what Owokoniran and his group did was illegal and not binding the party. He stated that few members of the party cannot take decision on a non-existent matter and remove the party chairman for personal interest. He ruled out division in the party. He said there is unity in Lagos Chapter. We are united. Obanikoro is a leader. George is also a leader in Lagos and the Southwest, he concluded.

    A party stalwart has warned against the national leadership interference in the resolution of the crisis. “It is purely a Lagos PDP affair which the state chapter can handle; we don’t want Abuja interference. The party in the state is heading towards restructuring by sacking Shelle who did not carry members of the SWC along in financial matters during the elections. Shelle was running the party as a personal estate. He failed to consult before taking decision which affected the party performance at the governorship poll. Shelle could not mobilise properly during the election because he was just mobilising only one group within the party. It is time to restructure the party towards 2019 and we are going to remove more dead woods in the party in the process of restructuring the party.”

    According to him peace may continue to elude the party. Since the report of the Harmonisation Committee led by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State was not implemented, the politics of exclusion permeated the chapter. Osunrinde had recommended the sharing of party officers on equitable basis so that peace could reign. Owing to the non-implementation of the report, party leaders have been working at cross purposes with George.

    A former chieftain of the PDP, Dr Abayomi Finnih, described George as Lagos PDP headache. He said the bone of contention was the congress that produced the current state executive of the party. “Few people hijacked the process. The court halted the congress from holding but the Olabode George faction called “the Establishment” defied the court order and went ahead with the congress. So, a faction is in control of the party executive. The other two factions namely: the Union which I led and the Non-Align Group are left in the cold. This action has further brought the party down. A serious party should open its doors for every member to be part of decision making.

    “There were reconciliatory moves made from outside such as Southwest zone, the Presidency and PDP Governors Forum, all to no avail. The panel recommended a harmonised   executive that would embrace all the factions, but the George group remains adamant. Even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrote the party’s national chairman that the Lagos congress contravened the party guidelines and the constitution and that the commission does not recognise the congress. That was over three years now. Nothing has changed.

    “Some of us bent backward by reaching out to George and his group to find solutions, but the incalcitrant attitude did not allow George’s group to reason with us. Politicians don’t behave that way. There must be compromise. The situation on ground would continue to jeopardise PDP chances in the state.”

    Proffering solutions to the crisis, a political analyst, Dr Akin Babajide said the leadership of the party should bring all factions to a round table discussion for amicable resolutions of differences and give the party a new sense of direction. The leadership should bring every member on board to work together and ensure the unity of the party in the state.

    Babajide advised George to allow internal democracy in the party. According to him, a leader should carry members along in decision making adding, the will of the majority should prevail. In a democratic system, a leader cannot impose his will on the people; the people must be part of decision making, he said.

    The analyst stressed that if the party must remain solid and compete effectively in Lagos State, peace must prevail and the party leaders should ensure equity and fair play.

    To a youth activist, Yomi Davies, BodeGeorge, Obanikoro, Adeseye Ogunlewe  and Segun Ogundimu should retire from active politics and allow the youths to take over the leadership of the PDP in Lagos State. He said for as long as these leaders remain in dictating the tunes for the party, PDP in Lagos will never know peace. They lack charisma to command followership;  they lack electoral value; many of them can’t win elections in their wards, he added.

    With the hard line posture of the warring factions, analysts say peace may not return to the troubled Lagos PDP soon .

  • Lagos PDP chair Shelle sacked

    Lagos PDP chair Shelle sacked

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State , Tunji Shelle, has been removed.

    He was replaced by his deputy, Kamal Olorunoje, who will operate in acting capacity.

    Shelle’s removal was announced yesterday at the  state executive committee meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Ikeja.

    Among the reasons listed for his sack, according to the party leaders, are the failure of the party to win the presidential and governorship elections in the state; the role he played in the crisis that trailed the governorship primaries and lack of transparency in the running of the chapter.

    It was alleged that Shelle connived with some elders of the party to inflate the number of votes cast at the governorship primaries.

    The votes were more than the total number of accredited delegates that participated in the exercise.

    Consequently, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro  one of the major  contenders for the ticket, sued the party and Chief Olabode George, asking for the nullification of the primaries.

    It took the intervention of the Presidency before Obanikoro withdrew the case.

    However, a source within the party said only a faction took the decision to sack Shelle. He said the decision can not hold.

    George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe did not pick their phones when our correspondent called them.

    In a statement by its State Publicity Secretary,Taofik Gani, the PDP called on party members to discountenance the said sack.

    It also admonished those behind the “preposterous action” to retrace their steps and allow peace to reign in the party.

    “It is therefore very irrational for anyone or persons in the party to try to create acrimony by claiming that the State Chairman has not performed to warrant continuing in office” it stated.

    The statement also faulted the modus operandi employed by“ the detractors”, which it said contravened the provisions of the party’s constitution on the sack of a state chairman.

    “The State Chairman is a member of National Executive Committee (NEC) and can only be removed or suspended by the consent of the NEC.

    “There is no NEC approval to the action. It thus stands, null and void. For the sake of clarity, Shelle remains the legitimate chairman of PDP in the state.

    “All dealings with the party in the state should be through him”. It added.

     

  • Lagos PDP primaries defective, says Obanikoro

    Lagos PDP primaries defective, says Obanikoro

    Former Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has reflected on the governorship primaries, insisting that the process was defective.

    The former Minister of State for Defence said he embraced reconciliation because the interest of the party is greater than the ambition of members. But, he said he went to court so that thye mistake will not be repeated in the future.

    Obanikoro spoke on a live television programme in Lagos on the flawed shadow poll, his rejection of the results and recourse to litigation to protest the injustice. He maintained that the number of votes were more than the number of accredited delegates, adding that the discrepancy dented the image of the chapter.

    Explaining why he went to court to protest the flawed process, he said: I fought against a process that was not transparent to make the necessary correction. I went to court to correct that. The number of votes was 867. The delegates were 806. Our vision is for a greater Lagos. We needed to clean up the process. Whatever we do today can serve as a precedent. We want those coming behind us to have a worthy legacy to emulate.

    “We went to court and the leadership of the party intervened. I can assure you. We are not going to have a repeat of that in Lagos State. We have taken this to the highest level of our party leadership. We will not have a repeat of this where figures will change without explanation.”

    Obanikoro, who said politicians must not sacrifice the collective interest of their parties on the alter of personal ambition, warned against the danger of faulty primaries.

    He said, for the first time in the history of the Lagos PDP, members did not defect to another party in protest because of the flawed primaries.

    The former minister, however, clarified between what he described as a process that is tainted and a process that is illegal. He said: “Can you build legally on an illegal land? When we say something is tainted, it does not mean that it is illegal. We can remember the election of George Bush and Al Gore in the Unites States. The Supreme Court said otherwise. The society is bigger than individuals. Look at the election of Kennedy and Richard Nixon. But, the leadership preserved the country for patriotic reasons.”

    The politician said a flawed primary cannot always be avoided because of human errors. He added: “There is no perfect condition of humanity. It is continuous. We must continue to find solution.”

    Obanikoro dismissed the rumour that he agreed to support the flag bearer, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, because he was promised a ministerial position. He said President Goodluck Jonathan reserved the right to determine the person that will become a minister.

    The former minister spoke on the challenge of next year’s election, stressing that the PDP can only win the battle, if it is united.

    He stressed: “To win Lagos, we must be united. We want a government that will constructively engage the Federal Government.”

    Obanikoro also highlighted conditions for a hitch-free elections, saying that post-electoral violence can be averted. He added: “The leadership on both sides must embrace peace and their body language must lead to that. We need peace and tranquility to move Nigeria forward.”

  • 10 for governor in Lagos PDP

    10 for governor in Lagos PDP

    Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in search of a formidable governorship candidate. But, the division in the troubled chapter and lack of reconciliation among warring gladiators may thwart its ambition to produce the next governor, reports Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU. 

    For 15 years, the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been left in the cold. Its ambition to produce the governor has been aborted by the progressive bloc. Does the crisis-ridden chapter has prospect in next year’s election?

    Opinion is divided on the succession struggle in the Centre of Excellence. The PDP Chairman, Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd), has said power shift is possible, stressing that heaven did not fall when the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor Kayode Fayemi was defeated by the PDP flag bearer, Mr. Ayodele Fayose in the Ekiti State election.  “The wind of change is blowing. The PDP was underrated in Ekiti. But, we won the election. It can happen in other Southwest states in 2015,” he said. But, his APC counterpart, Otunba Oladele Ajomale, described the threat by the PDP to capture Lagos as laughable. He said there is nothing on ground to show that the PDP can come into reckoning in the state.

    In 1999, the PDP candidate, Chief Dapo Sarunmi, was defeated by his Alliance for Democracy (AD) counterpart, Senator Bola Tinubu. In 2003, its flag bearer, the late Mr. Funso Williams, was also defeated by Tinubu, despite the defection of prominent AD chieftains to the PDP. In 2007, the stakes were high. Both PDP and Action Congress (AC) prepared well for the poll. But, at the close of the poll, the PDP candidate, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, lost his deposit. He was defeated by the AC candidate, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Initially,  Williams’ widow, Hilda, was named as the flag bearer, following the primaries at the National Stadium, Surulere. But, based on the strategic advice of a national party leader, Chief Tony Anenih, the ticket was given to Obanikoro.

    In 2011, the PDP fielded Dr. Ade Dosunmu for the election. At that time, the party had been decimated. Many chieftains had deserted the party and embraced the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).After the poll, some also defected from the PDP to the ruling party.  Among them were the former Chairman, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, former Minister of State for Defence Demola Seriki, former state secretary Ajiroba Wale Mogaji, and former legislator Dr. Wale Ahmed. Now that the party is warming up for next year’s polls, many chieftains have also called it quits. They include the respected surgeon, Dr. Yomi Fininh, former deputy governors Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo and Otunba Olufemi Pedro, and Dr. Aganda-Williams.

    Since its inception, the PDP has not known peace. The chapter was led at the beginning by a progressive politician, Basorun. But, he was shoved aside immediately after the 1999 elections. The tenure of his successors were full of tension. Under Alhaji Muritala Ashorobi, the party was factionalised. Ashorobi held sway at Ikeja while Basorun/Tony Adefuye group encamped at Ikorodu. Efforts by the late Dr. Olusola Saraki to broker peace failed as the Ashorobi group chided the old man for undue interference in its internal affairs. The Ikorodu group blamed the arrowhead of the party and former Works Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, for his refusal to foster unity and harmony between the two caucuses. Fed up with the war of attrition in the party, those who defected from the AD to the PDP in 2003, including Tunde Braimoh, Enock Ajiboso, and Dauda Kako-Are ran back to the AC.

    The PDP trustee, Chief Alaba Williams, who took over from Ashorobi, worked genuinely for reconciliation. But, he was undermined and subverted my gladiators who later edged him out. He was abroad when he learnt that his tenure had ended abruptly. His successor, Mr, Adebayo Williams, could not accomplished much because he enjoyed a brief period as caretaker committee chairman. His successor, Hon. Setonji Koshoedo, a former member of House of Representatives from Badagry, operated under the shadow of the party leader, Commodore Bode George (rtd). Since the report of the Harmonisation Committee led by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State was not implemented, the politics of exclusion permeated the chapter. Osunrinde had recommended the sharing of party officers on equitable basis so that peace could reign. Owing to the non-implementation of the report, other leaders, including Ogunlewe, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, the late Senator Wahab Dosunmu, and other chieftains were working at cross purposes with George.

    In fact, in 2011, many of them perceived Dr. Ade Dosunmu, not as the party candidate, but as George’s candidate. The party went for the election as a divided house. On poll day, it was crushed by the ACN. After the election, PDP leaders started to trade blames. A reconciliation move was mooted by a party elder, Pa Aderibigbe Shitta from Ikorodu. But, it did not see the light of the day.

    Will the story be different next year when it goes for another poll? Lagos PDP has its traditional strongholds in some parts of Badagry, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe and few communities in Alimoso. However, it has not been able to enlarge its coast because it is weighed down by crises. Crisis resolution in the fold is defective. Its leader George, has been criticised for alleged monopo-lisation and personalisation of party power.

    It has also become increasingly difficult for Lagosians to embrace the PDP because the state has been neglected by the PDP Federal Government. Whenever the PDP campaign train rolls into the metropolis, the PDP President would have no tangible achievement to point to. Thus, Lagosians believe that the party has no programme for Lagos.

    Ahead of next year’s poll, 10 governorship aspirants are eyeing the PDP ticket. They include Babatunde Gbadamosi, Deji Doherty, an engineer, Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State for Defence, and Ade Dosunmu. Others are Jimi Agbaje, a pharmacist, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, Koshoedo, Tunde Daramola, former secretary, and Bode Oyedele, former presidential assistant.

    Gbadamosi

    He was the first aspirant to declare his interest. He has been featuring on television programmes propagating the party to Lagosians. In the course of doing that, he has courted controversy. If elected as governor, he said that he would turn the critical sectors around. However, he has a fragile structure to actualise his dream.

    Doherty

    Doherty, an engineer, is a loyal party member. He has always shunned entreaties to defect to another party. He is also a veteran aspirant, having contested for the governorship thrice. In 2007 and 2011, he lobbied to become the running mate, but he was not considered. Last year, he became the Acting Chairman of the Southwest PDP caretaker Committee, when the Chairman, Chief ishola Filani, resigned. But, since the court has ruled that the status quo should be maintained, Filani has returned to his former position and Doherty is now a member of the zonal executive committee.

    Obanikoro

    The Minister of State for Defence is the most formidable aspirant in the party. He is also the most experienced politician in the fold. Obanikoro is the former Chairman of Lagos City Council, Vice Chairman of the defunct national Republican Convention (NRC), Commissioner for Home affairs and Culture, senator between 2003 and 2007, High Commissioner to Ghana and Chairman of the National Industrial Training Fund. In 2007, he was the governorship candidate. Obanikoro has structure and resources to run for the election.

    Dosunmu

    When Dosunmu emerged as the candidate in 2011, he was not known in the party. He was brought into the fold by George. He holds a doctorate degree in administration. It is doubtful, if George is backing him for governorship. He does not have structure.

    Agbaje

    The Afenifere chieftain is a credible politician. He is loved by many people. In 2007, he was one of the aggrieved aspirants who defected from the AD, following the primaries that threw up Fashola as the candidate. As the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), he did not make much impact during the election. Agbaje is rich. He also has a network of friends ready to support his bid. But, his strength lies in his integrity and credibility.

    Adikwu-Bakare

    The Egba-born politician is an Amazon. She made waves in the Third Republic when he contested for the slot with the late Pa Michael Otedola in the NRC. In Lagos, her base is Awori. As a governorship aspirant, luck has not smiled on her. In 2003, he defected from the PDP to the AC. She was appointed as the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and later, Women Affairs, by former Governor Tinubu. After losing at the ACN primaries in the ACN in 2007, she contested on the platform of the PPA. It was a weak party. Later, she returned to the PDP. Sources said that some leaders wanted her to be appointed as a minister. But, the opportunity also eluded her. Adikwu-Bakare is a brilliant person. She is an effective speaker. She also knows her onions. She is highly connected. But, she has been criticised for her lack of patience and consistency. Many see her as a politician in a hurry.

    Koshoedo

    The former federal legislator is a gentleman who cannot ruffle feathers. He represented Badagry in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003. He was the party chairman at a time efforts were made to resolve the crises in the chapter and forge unity. But, many see him as George’s stooge. For him, the race is not a do or die affair.

    Oyedele

    Oyedele is a former presidential assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is one of the pillars of the party in Ibeju-Lekki area. He is a committed party man.

  • Why Lagos PDP has not produced governor, by Ogunlewe

    Former Minister of Works Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN on the crisis rocking the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and why it has been difficult for the chapter to win governorship elections in the state.

    One of the reasons you gave for contesting the Lagos PDP chairmanship last year was the quality of party leadership in the state. Are you satisfied with the present leadership?

    Yes, I’m satisfied. It doesn’t have to be me. If we have someone there and he embraces my idea, I’m okay. I don’t have to say that because I’m not the chairman, I have to condemn or rubbish the good work of the executive. They are doing well and I am proud of them.

    There are many caucuses in the Lagos PDP. What is responsible for this?

    The idea of a caucus has been misconstrued by Nigerian politicians. The formation of caucuses comes up when the party is to nominate a candidate for an elective office. The practice is that groups within the party sponsor candidates for primaries. They lobby, use their resources to campaign and strategise for their candidates to win. Once a winner emerges, the caucuses dissolve. But here in Nigeria, caucuses have become a permanent feature of political parties. Even the caucus meetings are held more than the party meetings. It is wrong.

    Is it true that you have reconciled with Chief Bode George?

    Yes. We are very close now, unlike before. We now meet virtually every day. Our relationship is very cordial. We are working together. We have put the past behind us. If we continue to fight ourselves, it will be to the disadvantage of the youths and Lagosians, who are yearning for alternative government. We need a government that would support the development of youths, women, education and health system. So, quarrelling has no place in today’s politics.

    How prepared is the Lagos PDP for the 2015 general elections?

    We are the architects of our misfortune. We have allowed personal ambition and ego to weigh us down. If not, we will not be where we are today. We are not competitive. We should try and develop the capacity to get there. We are preparing but we have to be serious.

    We are strategising, looking for support from Mr President, praying not to make the mistake of 2003, 2007 and 2011. Then, our governorship candidates prefer to work for the opposition. This time around, we will not compromise the interest of the PDP at the altar of the party. There was trade off in previous elections, it won’t happen in 2015.

    The President must be interested in those to be governors on the platform of the PDP in 2015. He must be able to pick and influence those to be governors in 2015. Look, almost all the PDP governors serving today were installed by Obasanjo and that’s why most of the governors are loyal to him. Jonathan too should make sure his own loyalists are elected governors. Jonathan has the capacity to fund election in any state. So he must be involved.

    Are you contesting governorship election in 2015?

    No. I will be 70 this year. I am now a consultant. As a leader, you operate from the rear and allow the young elements to be in the forefront.

    It was alleged that as a minister, you used your influence in persuading former President Olusegun Obasanjo to withhold the Lagos Council funds. What is your comment?

    It was not true. The decision to withhold the council funds was to stop Lagos State government from diverting the funds. Every month, Lagos State collects N6 billion from the Federation Accounts. The Tinubu administration created 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA), which were not recognised by the Constitution. Do you expect Mr President to encourage such an unconstitutional act?

    But Tinubu and Lagos State government were later vindicated by the Supreme Court judgment that ordered Obasanjo to release the funds…..

    Well, that is the court ruling, but the government believed that there were only 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos State. They are entitled to the Federal Allocation meant for Local Councils in Lagos State.

    You were alleged to have sabotaged the Fourth Mainland Bridge planned by the Tinubu Administration during your tenure as Minister of Works.

    How can? Did they ever submit the design of the bridge? I was not aware of any plan to build a fourth mainland bridge anywhere in Lagos. This is news to me. Let them come out and prove how I frustrated the construction of the bridge.

    The Senate Committee on Housing, in its report, mentioned you as one of those who bought Federal Government houses in Lagos without bidding for them. Have you resolved the matter?

    It is a lie. I don’t have any house anywhere in Lagos. If they are sure of what they are talking about they should come up with the description and location of the property. In any case, the Senate has written to apologise to me, saying that it was not me. The report just stated Minister of Works. There were several Ministers of Works before me and even after I had left office.

    What is your reaction to the registration of All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)?

    It was fantastic. It is the best thing that has happened to our democracy. It has created a platform for a strong opposition in the polity. Even though, it was a marriage of strange bedfellows, they should not allow personal ambition to override the party’s interest. I congratulate them and wish them success in their endeavours.

    What’s your assessment of President Jonathan’s Administration?

    In the aviation sector, the performance of the Jonathan Administration is excellent. I have never witnessed such massive rehabilitation of our airports. I was at Asaba; it was like an international airport. On agric, we need to put in a little more effort to make the sector what we will be proud of. I have my doubt on the management of the economy, because we are being stream loaned by the World Bank. I disagree with the government’s industrial development programme.

    As for the power sector, if I were the President, I won’t do what they are doing. I will decentralise the power industry, allow each state to have their own grid and assist them with funds in achieving this.

    Everything in this country is centralised. Centralised administration is World Bank’s strategy that doesn’t work in a federal set up.

    Ministers don’t take credit for anything they achieved in office. They are working for the President. They are invited to participate in the execution of Mr President’s programme. They are errand boys of Mr President. Nevertheless, I fought many battles when I was a minister. The last that probably caused me my job was the award of contract for Onitsha-Owerri Road. A powerful traditional ruler from the Southwest brought a contractor for the job, which I disagreed. I insisted that Julius Berger should handle the job. They thought my mother was Igbo. The reason why I insisted on Julius Berger was that the construction giant had never done any construction work in the Southeast. At the end, the job was split between Julius Berger and the contractor sponsored by the traditional ruler. I was vindicated because the latter failed to complete its own portion while Julius Berger did an excellent job within a record time.

  • Lagos PDP can’t make difference’

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Dr. Abayomi Finnih, has warned the leadership of the party against acts that can jeopardise its chances in the state in the 2015 general elections.

    Finnih, leading a faction of the party, attributed the crisis in the party to the leadership style of Chief Bode George, which has alienated members.

    He said: “The current problem of PDP in Lagos State has to do with the way the Bode George faction hijacked the March 12 congress. The court stopped the congress from holding, but George’s group defied the order and conducted the congress.”

    Finnih told our correspondent that the Bode George group, which is in the minority, has hijacked the party machinery, adding that this action has brought down the party.

    “We wrote a petition to the party’s headquarters in Abuja to inform them of the ugly development and the havoc the minority has wreaked on the party in Lagos.

    “The reconciliatory efforts of the Southwest zone, the Presidency and the Governors Forum, led by Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina, have not changed anything, as the recalcitrant group is not ready to yield ground.

    “You don’t run a party that way. A serious party should open its doors for every member to be part of decision making. If you close your doors against people, they have options. There are other doors open to accommodate them.”

    According to Finnih, what is more annoying is that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to say the ward and local government congresses that produced the state executive of the party did not conform with the party guidelines and its constitution, making the commission not to recognise them.

    He said INEC, in a letter signed by its Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, said: “The commission has continued to receive monitoring reports that ward and local government congresses in Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Anambra and Katsina states were not conducted as provided by the constitution of the PDP and the relevant guidelines for congresses and convention.”

    Finnih said despite the INEC observation, nothing has been done to correct the anomalies in the Lagos State chapter of the party, adding that the same executives produced by the improperly-conducted congresses “are still lording things over us.”

    He went on: “Some of us have bent backward by saying let us sit down and find a solution to our problems, but the recalcitrant attitude of those controlling the executive is making things difficult. Politics don’t work that way. For a party to move forward, the leaders have to abide by the policy of give-and-take. You have to compromise on certain things for you to enjoy the confidence of your members.

    “If we continue this way, it will jeopardise our chances in 2015. If we are not united now, how do we plan for 2015, which is drawing near?”

    On whether the party is planning to adopt Chief Jimi Agbaje as its governorship candidate in 2015, Finnih said he has not joined the party.

    “When he joins and makes his intentions known, he will be given equal opportunity as others that have shown interest,” he added.

  • 2015: Can Lagos PDP get it right?

    2015: Can Lagos PDP get it right?

    For 14 years, Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has coveted the seat of government. But the opposition party has lost its deposit in four general elections. Will the party make a difference in 2015?

    When the PDP leaders from the state visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, recently, they were full of bravado. The chairman of the party, Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd), who led the team, declared the party’s intention to “capture” the Centre of Excellence in the next general election. Firing salvos at the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), he assured the former President that no stone would be left unturned, until victory is attained. Lagos Sate PDP Publicity Secretary Ganiyu Taofeek also said that the party would perform better than the ACN, if elected into power.

    The missile was promptly replied. ACN National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed described the PDP’s motive as empty threat and wishful thinking. He said PDP leaders were busy chasing shadows, adding that the party lacked the programmes that can attract votes from Lagosians. Mohammed also said that the achievements of Fashola Administration have sealed the pact between Lagosians and the progressive party. “They are joking, they cannot capture Lagos,” he maintained.

    Since 1999, PDP has been producing failed governorship candidates in Lagos State. The party has revealed itself as a platform made up of Generals without battalions. In that year, Chief Dapo Sarumi from Epe Division was floored by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu, his compatriot in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). In 2003, Tinubu also triumphed over the PDP flag bearer, the late Mr. Funso Williams, an engineer, who had defected from AD to PDP. The battle was fiercer in 2007, but Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) defeated the PDP challenger, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a defector from the AD. In 2011, ACN and PDP clashed again, with Fashola defeating the former Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASSA) Director-General, Dr. Adegboyega Dosumu. Since Lagos PDP is perceived by Lagosians as a party that opposed the creation of additional councils in the state, the party could not attract votes from the grassroots at every local government election.

    To observers, Lagos PDP has its inherent structural weaknesses. However, the bane of the party is that it is addicted to crises. Recurrent personality clashes and ego war among party chieftains have deepened the disunity in the fold, making the party to go into periodic elections as a divided house. Although many aggrieved AD and ACN chieftains have defected to the party, they have often lamented their decision to be part of a sinking ship. Some of them have retraced their steps back to the progressive fold. Others who stayed on out of frustration continued to play passive roles in the conservative camp.

    Obasanjo appeared more realistic than the foot soldiers in Lagos. He dissected the ailing chapter, submitting that it has been retarded by the promotion of personal and particularistic interests over group interest. Those claiming to be leaders are larger than their followers. The former Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman described the platform as a party in the wilderness in Lagos State. For members to restore it to the right path, he said they needed to work and build the polarised party together. The former President reasoned that Lagos PDP chieftains must sink their differences to make a headway. “If only the leaders would sink their ego and regard the party’s interest as supreme and above that of individual, then, the party will come out strong and able to wrest power from the ruling party”, he advised.

    Enveloped in protracted crises, Lagos PDP mirrors the rot and organisational deficiency of the party in the Southwest. The baseline is the lack of unifying and transformational leadership to offer a new direction. It is glaring that the chapter needs more than its executive committee to generate ideals, fashion out winning strategies, and offer gerontocratic guidance. While the “G-14”, comprising elders, including Oba Olatunji Hamzat, Tinubu, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Alhaji Busura Alebiosu, Chief Rabiu Oluwa, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and Apostle Olorunfunmi Basorun, moderates the internal tensions in the Lagos ACN, their counterparts in the PDP, including Commodore Olabode George (rtd), Chief Rafiu Jafojo, Chief Alaba Williams, Alhaji Muritala Asorobi, Mrs Modupe Sasore, Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Senator Wahab Dosunmu, and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro belong to different caucuses. The groups or camps are always locked in the battle of supremacy. At a reconciliation meeting held at the party secretariat and chaired by Pa Aderibigbe Shitta, armed thugs invaded the venue and dispersed the party faithful.

    The crisis of leadership that has hit the party is fatal. I has been escalating and the party leaders who are in disarray, have been building on the crisis-ridden edifice. Between 1999 and 2013, AD and ACN have only produced three chairmen-the late Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Prince Ogunleye and Otunba Oladele Ajomale. But PDP has produced six chairmen; Basorun, Asorobi, Rasheed Williams, Bayo Williams, Setonji Koshoedo, and Shelle.

    Instructively, Lagos PDP had a solid foundation. Its first chairman, Basorun, is a progressive. But his tenure was short. When he handed over to Asorobi, the party started to move at a snail’s speed. The former chairman was rusticated. But his followers kicked and the party broke into several camps. Later, he was readmitted by the Williams leadership. Many believed that had Ajiroba Williams been able to implement his reconciliation programmes fully, Lagos PDP would have been better for it. The former BOT member was abroad when he was abruptly replaced with a caretaker chairman.

    After the 2007 general elections, there was disenchantment towards the leadership of George. The party leader had backed Funso Williams’ widow, Hilda, against Obanikoro. The primaries was deadlock during the rerun. A national leader of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, who observed the congress in Lagos, declared that it appeared to him that Obanikoro carried the day. The result of the governorship primaries was later announced in Abuja, to the consternation of George’s group. The party went into the general election as a divided entity. It was alleged that the campaign structure already in place was suddenly dissolved by George and a new one set up. Party members complained about the misuse of logistics. It was evident that many leaders showed hypocritical commitment to party victory.

    Irked by the dismal failure at the polls, a party chieftain, Sunday Olaifa, said that he had the missed the target of winning power, advising that he should step aside as the arrowhead of the chapter. “Commodore Olabode George should step aside as the arrowhead and leader of the party in Lagos State, having led the party to three general elections without good results”, he said. But it was difficult to shove George aside.

    As the party prepared for the 2011 polls, it was engulfed with more crises. Obanikoro’s camp installed a former state legislator, Hamid Olorunoje, as the parallel chairman. In a swift reaction, the national leadership set up a reconciliation committee led by Chief Tunde Oshunrinde, a party chieftain from Ogun State. The committee proposed a sharing formula for the composition of the state executive committee. The report was jettisoned. Thus, when Koshoedo was in the saddle as chairman, there were allegations of marginalisation against Ogunlewe/Dosunmu/Sasore Camp, Olorunoje Group and Jafojo Group. Few weeks to the 2011 general elections, notable chieftains, including Chief Lanre Rasak, Demola Seriki, Wale Ahmed, and Tunde Salau, deserted the PDP train and joined forces with the ACN. It was clear that Dr Dosunmu, who contested against Fashola, lacked the political pedigree of his predecessors; Sarumi, Funso Williams, and Obanikoro.

    Before the 2011 elections, George, the former Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) , chair, was sentenced to prison for corruption. Yet, he continued to dictate the tune from the prison. It was a setback for the political career of a combative party leader. Out of prison, George continued to play leadership role, but he could not command the respect of many chieftains. Initially, there was a lull in party activities, until the emergence of Shelle as the chairman.

    The new chairman has boasted that he will become the first chairman to produce a governor in Lagos State. He has held series of meetings with aggrieved leaders. During the last Christmas, he and other members of his team visited some leaders, including Ogunlewe, at home to pacify him and elicit his cooperation. Shelle also led the party to a rally in Ikoyi, where he unfolded plans to take the party to grater height. PDP is contesting the results of the local government elections in some Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

    However, ACN has described the party chairman as a day dreamer, maintaining that there will be no vacancy at the Alausa State House in 2015. ACN chairman in Lagos State, Ajomale, said “with the level of work Governor Fashola has done in the state, Lagosians will definitely vote for continuity”. Echoing him, the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, queried: “What has the PDP federal government done for Lagosians to win their votes? What programmes are they offering? What is the party’s score card?” Igbokwe said Lagosians who have enjoined the dividends of democracy under Tinubu and Fashola administrations would not sever relationship with the progressive party. “PDP is a disaster at the national level and Lagos State will not be contaminated by its virus of destruction”, he added.