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Tag: ‘Oyo PDP

  • Post election crisis: More troubles for Oyo PDP

    Post election crisis: More troubles for Oyo PDP

    With the formation of ‘Reformed PDP,’ Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports that the crisis in Oyo PDP has deepened

    Just as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre is struggling to reposition itself with a view to seeking a return to power in 2019, the Oyo State chapter of the erstwhile ruling party, following its defeat by the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi, of All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2015 governorship election, has been working round the clock to mend its fences and come out with a united front ahead of the next general election in the state.

    The troubled PDP had wielded so much influence in Oyo State between 1999 and 2011 when it first lost to Ajimobi. Determined to reenact its old winning tricks, the party went all out to displace the APC in the last general election. But bedeviled by internal wrangling that refused to go away, it couldn’t make good its threat. Its defeat this time around is more humiliating as its candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, came a distant fourth, trailing the APC, Accord Party (AP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in an election that was comfortably won by Ajimobi.

    Expectedly, following the humiliating loss, founding fathers of the party in the state, like the former National Vice Chairman of the party, South-West, Alhaji Yekeen Adeojo; former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, former Minister of State for FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Teslim Folarin, and several others, resumed efforts to rid the party of internal crises but with little or no success.

    And when it appeared the party may be finding its bearing gradually, all hell again broke loose as a faction within the party, during the week, pulled out of further talks and launched what it called the Reformed PDP. According to party chieftains and political analysts, with the emergence of the new PDP in the state, given the volatile nature of politics in Oyo, especially within the troubled opposition party, it may be difficult for the party to overcome the current crisis.

    A former state executive committee member, Dr. Bade Balogun, observed that his former party would have to do a lot to survive its current challenges. Balogun, who was among those who defected from the party in the run up to the 2011 general elections over perceived injustices, said the formation of the Reformed PDP has finally polarized the party along irreparable lines.

    “The problem is intolerance on the part of some leading figures within the party. It was the same factor that drove Ladoja out of PDP. It was the same factor that drove Seyi Makinde out of the party. It was the same factor that drove former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, out of the party. So, now that this has finally happened, I see serious trouble for PDP in Oyo State.

    The survival of PDP, after the ongoing implosion rocking it, would have to be seriously worked upon to enable it retain its status as a formidable political party before it could become attractive to people again. I am yet to see how the party will shake off this current threat to its survival,” Balogun said.

    Speaking on the state of the party in the state, Senator Lekan Balogun, another bigwig of the party, attributed the festering crisis to alleged high handedness of some leaders, saying, “Some ministers destroyed the party and the presidency. It is more painful that the party may be destroyed permanently.

    According to him, instead of the party leaders to take global interest as their cardinal principle, they pandered to selfish interest which spelt doom for the party. He added that for the party to regain its lost glory; there has to be radical departure from its selfish interest. In as much as he would not want to be enmeshed in the unedifying crisis within the party in the state, he disagreed with those who said Senator Folarin was a wrong candidate.

    To him, if the leaders had genuinely worked for the party, Folarin would not have lost the election noting that as a former Senate leader; he had contested and won election before in the state.

    But chieftains of the Reformed PDP, led by Adebisi Olopoenia, claimed that the motive behind the move “is to reform the party and also make it a force to reckon with in the world of politics”, adding that unless something drastic is urgently done, the PDP in the state is doomed.

    According to Olopoenia, who spoke on behalf of the new group, “we gather here today to reform the PDP in Oyo State. The last session was marred with inordinate ambitions, but, by the time we hold our congress in March 2016, we will have those that can take the party to greater heights in place. The former leaders are not honest with most of us who are real party people and the PDP we are going to have now is going to be a collection of new breed PDP members.”

    Former Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and one of the party’s governorship aspirants in the last election, Soji Adejumo, another chieftain of the Reformed PDP, confirmed the move. He said: “I am fully part of the whole process. This re-branded PDP will do away with politics of selfish, moribund, unintelligent interest by some party leaders who struggled to take control of the party.”

    Other party stalwarts, including Azeez Salawudeen (alias Eyonbo Anobi) from Atisbo Local Government Area of the state, Ismaila Osuolale Ashipa from Ibadan North Local Government Area, and Busari Murtala (alias Moriyeba) from Atiba Local Government Area, have been supporting the formation of the Reformed PDP.

    At a meeting in Bashorun area of Ibadan on Thursday, PDP stalwarts from 13 local government areas of Oyo-East, Atiba, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North, Afijio, Olorunsogo, Itesiwaju, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan North-East, Atisbo, Saki-East, Kajola and Saki-West, all agreed that the party could not afford not to return to its number one position it is known for without the Reformed PDP.

    They all maintained that there was the need for the PDP to be rebranded as “it is only the PDP that can tackle the All Progressives Congress (APC), only if it is reformed”.

    For PDP in Oyo, the road to the ongoing crisis started with allegations that Teslim’s woeful performance in the last election was as a result of alleged uncooperative attitude of leaders like Akinjide; Senator Ayo Adeseun and the Chief of Staff to former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Dr. Saka Balogun. Specifically, Akinjide, who coordinated the presidential campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan in the state, was accused of funding the campaign of the Accord governorship candidate, Rasheed Ladoja.

    Though she denied the allegation, her obvious negative disposition to Folarin’s candidacy and her little or no participation in the governorship campaign, cast doubts on her loyalty to the party’s candidate.

    After accusations and counter accusations for weeks, Chief Yekeen Adeojo announced the suspension of Akinjide, Adeseun and Balogun with immediate effect. “It is a shame that these so-called leaders of the PDP sold out their conscience for personal aggrandisement and greed, despite their professed loyalty to the party. While they have deceptively carried themselves as members of the PDP, their activities in the last governorship election showed their duplicity and it is on this account that the party has suspended them,” Adeojo said of their suspension.

    The PDP leader pointedly alleged that Akinjide diverted all the resources meant for the PDP to support the Accord Party in the governorship election, just as she misled party loyalists to support Senator Ladoja’s governorship ambition. He noted that while Adeseun and Balogun contrived to work against the PDP in Ogbomoso zone by supporting the Labour Party governorship candidate in the governorship elections, Mustapha betrayed the PDP by working for the APC in Iseyin Local Government Area.

    “We urge the leaders of the party and members of the public in the South-West and at the national level, including the South-West Chairman of the Presidential Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Chief Olabode George; the South-West PDP zonal executive, governors of Ekiti and Ondo states, Mr. Ayo Fayose and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to be abreast of the development.

    It is a shame that these so-called leaders of the PDP sold out their conscience for personal aggrandisement and greed, despite their professed loyalty to the party. While they deceptively carried themselves as members of the PDP, their activities in the last governorship election showed their duplicity and it is on this account that the party has suspended them,” Adeojo had claimed.

    Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Hon. Moroof Akinwande, amongst others, were the chieftains shown the door by the party. But in a swift response, a group within the party, the Progressive Youth Frontiers (PYF), according to its Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Adeniyi, accused Adeojo and Folarin of creating more problems for the party with their actions.

    “These same retrogressive elements pushed Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Mr. Seyi Makinde, Elder Wole Oyelese and others out of the party just to gratify self-serving ends. They took hold of the National Working Committee of the PDP in Abuja, embarked on a zero-sum game and tilted the party to a near abyss all because of selfish interest and unrealistic ambition,” the group claimed.

    Olopoenia, while vowing that the Reformed PDP would not be deterred by threats from Adeojo and others, said “everyone knows they are failed executives of the party. I do not even expect them to talk at this point in time. They should come and tell the whole World what they have done towards the progress of the party in recent times, most especially, the last general elections.

    I can say that all they know is to share bags of rice and collect money from aspirants in the guise of giving them tickets. A promise which they did not fulfill 100 percent. Some of those they collected money from and failed to give tickets to contest the last election are still raining curses on them.

    It still baffles me that they are now coming out to kick against a group of people who are willing to transform the party and give it a new face. Where were they when the APC was hitting hard on the PDP on radio, T.V and even on the pages of newspapers?

    They should be able to tell us why he was unable to respond to criticisms from opposition parties most especially the APC before and during the last general elections. In fact, I’m still wondering how such a group of people will be threatening sanction on a particular set of people who are  ready to change things from the old way of doing them in order to turn around  the fortune of the party in Oyo State”.

    With the party chieftains still going for each other’s political juggler, leaving no end in sight to the ongoing crisis in Oyo PDP, it is left to be seen what will become of the once vibrant party left behind by Late Lamidi Adedibu, the acclaimed strongman of Oyo politics.

  • Oyo PDP disowns group

    Oyo PDP disowns group

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has restated its loyalty to the National Working Committee (NWC), led by the acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus.

    It described a statement by a group, Oyo State PDP Like Minds, as irresponsible, self-serving and needless.

    The party discredited the claim that the hijack of the party structure and imposition of unpopular candidates forced some people out of the party and led to its dismal performance in the last general elections.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Kehinde Salawu, the PDP said the attack on Secondus’ leadership by the group was not in the interest of the PDP.

    Salawu said the signatories to the statement are “self-conceited anti-PDP politicians and spent forces who are seeking relevance”.

    He said the group should have learnt a lesson from its disgraceful outing at the Post-Election Review Sub-committee chaired by former Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, where its stand was condemned.

    The PDP spokesman added that the party’s doors remained open to any member who might want to return.

    He assured that equity and fairness would continue to remain the party’s hallmarks.

  • Can Oyo PDP get it right?

    Since 1999, Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been embroiled in crisis. JEREMIAH OKE takes a look at the troubled chapter and the activities of waring cancuses that have made cohesion impossible.

    Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been moving from one crisis to another since 1999. But, at no time was the crisis more debilitating than the one that engulfed it, prior to the last general elections. Indeed, the crisis was responsible for its woeful performance in the elections. The party’s performance was so poor that, for the first time since 1999, it will not have representation at any level of governance in the state in the next dispensation, beyond the single House of Representatives seat it won, courtesy of Segun Odebunmi (Surule/Ogo-Oluwa Constituency).

    The party’s woes are likely to be compounded by the suspension of the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Ayoade Adeseun and a former factional chairman of the party, Alhaji Kunmi Mustafa, for anti-party activities immediately after the general elections. Also suspended was one of its leader in Ogbomoso, Chief Saka Balogun, a former House of Representatives member, Dr. Maroof Akinwande, and others believed to have either pitched tent with Rashidi Ladoja’s Accord Party or Labour Party’s Adebayo Alao-Akala during the April 11 governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

    Their suspension was said to have been unilaterally authorised by the leader, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo. Adeojo explained why the chapter took the decision: “We urge the leaders of the party and members of the public in the Southwest and at the national level, including the Southwest Chairman of the Presidential Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Chief Olabode George; the Southwest PDP zonal executive, governors of Ekiti and Ondo states, Mr. Ayo Fayose and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to be abreast of the development.

    “It is a shame that these so-called leaders of the PDP sold out their conscience for personal aggrandisement and greed, despite their professed loyalty to the party. While they deceptively carried themselves as members of the PDP, their activities in the last governorship election showed their duplicity and it is on this account that the party has suspended them.”

    Akinjide and Folarin, a former senator and the governorship flagbearer of the party, hail from the same constituency. But, they were unable to deliver their ward for the party during the elections. Though Akinjide enjoys more popularity than any of the party leaders, she however, lacks the political clout to deliver her ward. Now that she has been suspended, it is up to Folarin to reorganise the party at the constituency level. But, will the people be more comfortable with his style of leadership?

    During the presidential election, Folarin was asked by the electorate in his polling unit to join the queue before he could cast his vote. He was said to have retrieved the transformer he donated to the Hausa community during the campaign because he believed they did not vote for him.

    Adeseun is a former member of House of Representatives on the platform of the party. He defected to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011 and was elected senator. He however, returned to the PDP, prior to the general elections and contested for the Senate. But, he was unable to make it. Given his antecedents, his suspension from the PDP is a sore point for the party.

    This is not the first time the party will suspend some of its leaders for anti-party activities. Adeojo was suspended in 2007 when relations between him and the late political godfather Lamidi Adedibu was at a low ebb. Adedibu noticed that Adeojo was hobnobbing with Senator Lamidi Ladoja’s government and the late godfather promptly suspended him.

    Adeojo was not alone. He was expelled along with some party chieftains, including the Secretary to the Government (SSG), Mr. Ayodele Adigun, the Chief Of Staff to Ladoja, Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adebayo Shittu, and the Special Adviser to Ladoja on Security and Protocol, Mr. Bola Alphonso, former Chairmen in Oyo State, Chief Michael Adegbite, Alhaji Hafeez Tijani, and Chief Yetunde Ajibola Azeez. The executive of the party also recommended Ladoja for expulsion from the PDP.

    The PDP’s undoing since it won the governorship in 2003 was the inability of its chieftains to stick to the rules of the game. There was crisis in the party, when Ladoja fell out of favour with his erstwhile godfather. He had refused to allow Adedibu to dictate the pace. As a prudent administrator, Ladoja refused to allow ‘the strong man of Ibadan politics’ access to the treasury. The decision irked Adedibu, who had been flaunting the fact that he installed him as governor.

    Lamenting over this development, Adedibu once said: “At least, am I not entitled to one quarter of his security vote? He is collecting N64 million monthly, yet he could not give me any percentage from it. Soon, we shall send him packing from the Government House, you will see”.

    It did not come as a surprise when he was later impeached under controversial circumstances, with the aid of federal might. Ladoja’s deputy, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, took over as governor. He was in-charge for the period of eleven months before the apex court pronounced the impeachment as illegal.

    After Ladoja’s tenure, Alao-Akala, who was adopted as a new political-bride by the leaders of the party, contested and won in 2007. But, his victory was mired in controversy. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Moris Iwu were alleged to have installed him, against the wish of the people, with the support of Adedibu.

    The crisis within the party reached its peak during the four-year tenure of Alao-Akala. Adedibu was dead and there was no godfather anymore to hold it together. As a result, things fell apart between the party leaders. Alao-Akala, who hails from Ogbomosho, insisted that he had the right of first refuasal to the party’s ticket. But, the Ibadan caucus disagreed with him. He used his position as the governor to get the ticket. Matters were not helped by the support he enjoyed from party chieftains such as Adeojo, Senator Lekan Balogun, former Governor Omololu Olunloyo and Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi.

    It did not come as a surprise to observers that Alao-Akala lost the election to Senator Abiola Ajimobi. The party was to suffer another setback, after it made a mess of its 2015 primaries. Following the botched primary, aspirants, who felt they were robbed of the party’s ticket defected to other parties. At the end of the day, the PDP flagbearer, Senator Folarin, was disgraced at the poll. Folarin came fourth.

    The PDP aspirants who defected include: Alao-Akala, who moved to the Labour Party and came third at the poll; the young businessman, Seyi Makinde, who opted for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He came fifth; behind Folarin. Former Governor Ladoja had left the fold since 2011 and contested the last two general elections on the platform of Accord. He came second in the last election. The division within the PDP therefore ruined its chances in the election.

    But, the questions remain: has PDP learnt from its past mistakes? Can the party get it right again? One of the former aspirants anonymity, who spoke on the condition of anonymous asked if the party is still in existence in Oyo State. He said the shameful defeat has diminished the status of the party and that it would take a lot of efforts to bring it back to winning ways.

    He said: “Is the party still in Oyo State? I am no more in the party. What is the electoral value of the suspended chieftains and Adeojo who suspended them? I will declare where I am heading soon. If they continue with their ways of doing things, the party cannot exist in the next four years. If Jumoke, a minister, could not deliver her ward alongside with Folarin, what are they up to?

    “In my own view, the party is dead in the state and they need only God to revive it. PDP has made a terrible mistake by fielding Folarin as its governorship candidate. It is not the issue of anti-party activities, but the problem is the set of people in the party. The party that is not on ground and yet it is suspending its leaders. I wonder the kind of people remaining in the party.”

    The aspirant advised the suspended chieftains to move to alternative parties. “I can only advise the suspended members to look for greener pastures. They cannot afford to sacrifice their political career for any party or individual. I pray for Folarin and Jumoke to get it right in their future endeavours,” he concluded.

    The Special Adviser to Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Alhaji Isiaka Kehinde, disagreed with the governorship aspirant, arguing that anybody saying Oyo PDP is dead is not speaking the truth. “The suspension of the minister by individual is laughable. People behind it are comedians. They are busy deceiving themselves when the minister is busy working to revive the party. For him to say he suspended some notable people in the party, you can see he is jobless. When I heard the news, the first person I called was the chairman of the party and he said he just returned from Dubai and he doesn’t know anything about it. I also called other leaders of the party; they equally said they did not know about it. So, the question now is, how could a single person unilaterally suspend people in the party?”

    On whether the party is still on ground, Kehinde said leaders are strategising on how to form a formidable opposition to Ajimobi’s government. He said: “We are on ground. The party just lost election and they are working hard to form a strong opposition. We have gone back to the drawing board and we are going to come out strong soon.”

    “Is the party still in Oyo State? I am no more in the party. What is the electoral value of the suspended chieftains and Adeojo who suspended them? If they continue with their ways of doing things, the party cannot exist in the next four years “

     

  • Oyo PDP begins peace moves

    Oyo PDP begins peace moves

    The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ms Jumoke Akinjide and the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, have backed moves by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adebisi Olopoenia, to reform the party.

    The duo showed their support at the second meeting of some party leaders in Olopoenia’s Ibadan home yesterday.

    Akinjide sent a representative to the meeting; Makinde reportedly addressed the gathering through a telephone call from his South Africa base.

    Olopoenia began championing the reformation of the party after its woeful outing in the last general elections.

    Aside losing in the presidential and governorship poll, the party produced only one member of the House of Representatives.

    The PDP chieftain assured that there was no going back on the effort to reform the party.

    Akinjide’s personal assistant Kehinde Isiaka expressed his principal’s support for the move.

    “Being a member of the Federal Executive Council, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, despite her commitment in the last election, is ready to even do more to ensure that PDP regains its rightful place in 2019.”

    Makinde said he was ready to return to the party, if what orchestrated his exit was properly addressed.

  • ‘Bad leadership in Oyo PDP made me defect to Accord’

    ‘Bad leadership in Oyo PDP made me defect to Accord’

    The former Chairman of Ibadan North East Local Government, Mr. Olugbenga Adewusi has said, he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State to Accord because of bad leadership.

    He spoke with reports in Ibadan.

    Adewusi, who is the candidate contesting for Ibadan North East/South East federal constituency under Accord state said the PDP party leaders were not sincere to members.

    The former council boss said former President Olusegun Obasanjo was instrumental to his securing the Accord ticket.

    Adewusi said rancour between the Obasanjo and Ladoja is a thing of the past saying they are now friends and partners in progress.

    Reacting to opinion in some quarters that Accord party is a one man party, Adewusi quipped “Accord is not a one man party rather, it has party leaders who control affairs of the party, while among them is Senator Rashidi Ladoja”.

    Speaking on why people are calling him heir apparent of Obasanjo, he said: “when the late sage, Chief Awolowo was alive, Chief Bola Ige called himself Arole Awolowo but Bola Ige was from Esa-Oke while Awolowo was from Ijebu.

  • Oyo PDP to hold primaries

    After botched deals, two primaries and legal battles, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has agreed to hold its governorship primaries at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, today, according to a  source.

    But none of the lists used for the two previous primaries last month will be used for the election.

    Only statutory delegates will vote. They comprise some members of the state and local government executive members of the party.

    They are the chairman, secretary, treasurer, youth leader and woman leader. Other statutory delegates are two members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and members of the state and National Assembly.

    The latest development came as a resolution to two conflicting court judgments obtained by some members of the party from the same Federal High Court judge in Abuja.

    One validated the initial list used for the November 1 primaries, the other validated the list used for the second primaries held on November 24.

    The new development was confirmed by the party’s spokesman, Kehinde Salawu, yesterday.

    Ten aspirants are vying for the party’s ticket. They include former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and Oluseyi Makinde.

  • Oyo PDP congress: Panel to cancel some results

    Oyo PDP congress: Panel to cancel some results

    The last has not been heard on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congress in Oyo State.

     The congress panel, led by former Minister of Health Prof. Alphonsus Nwosu, said he would recommend the cancellation of results in some local governments, where irregularities took place.

    The panel was set up by the PDP national secretariat to hear complaints on the congress.

    A source said the list of the affected local governments would be released after a meeting was held with the aggrieved parties.

    The intra-party crisis rocking Oyo PDP worsened, following last Saturday’s ward congress.

    Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and former Minister of Power and Steel Wole Oyelese boycotted the panel.

    But Senator Ayo Adeseun, Femi Babalola, Seyi Makinde, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Kehinde Olaosebikan, Prof Soji Adejumo and a former Attorney General, Abdulsalam Are, who represented Dr. Isaac Owolabi, were present.

    Some of the aggrieved aspirants submitted petitions and exhibits, and they complained that the congress did not hold, based on non-availability of materials for the election.

    But some others said the election was held, despite the non-availability of materials.

    The panel leader had assured the aggrieved parties that its report would be made known within 48 hours.

    Nwosu said: “The media report on the conduct of the congress in Oyo State was not favourable.

    “PDP is a family, so no matter the evidence and petitions, let us remember that we are one.

    “I assure you all that we will resolve the problems and justice will be served. We will put our integrity to the fore.

    “I suffered the first injustice in our party. So, I know how it feels. To defeat an incumbent is difficult and that is why you must put your house in order to win in the state. You cannot do it with a divided family.

    “Ayodele Fayose won in Ekiti because others supported him. Only the person who is wanted by the people will represent PDP in 2015.

    “What is essential to this panel is that materials were not taken to the wards and in places where elections were conducted, they were done by party members.”

    Some party leaders, it was learnt yesterday, vowed to resist any cancellation of the results in their local governments, alleging that such a move would further cause disaffection in the party.

    One of the PDP chieftains, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “Only those who know that they have no place in the ward congress, who lost are  clamouring for the cancellation of the result and if that is allowed, it means that others who won will resist such cancellations.”

  • ‘There is still crisis in Oyo PDP’

    ‘There is still crisis in Oyo PDP’

    A former Chairman of Ibadan North East Local Government, Gbenga Adewusi, aka Arole, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis in Oyo State is getting messier.

    Arole said:  “The crisis in our party is delaying my House of Representatives ambition because this same crisis contributed to my failure when I contested in 2011.

    “There is still serious crisis in Oyo PDP. I behold a serious problem for Oyo PDP because of the factions. If a faction should emerge as candidate, other factions are poised to leave the party to form alliance with other parties.”

    The former council boss maintained that the bane of the party crisis can be attributed to leadership problem and greed.

     

  • ‘Why Oyo PDP remains divided’

    Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Elder Wole Oyelese has said the division among members will continue until the right thing is done by the national leadership.

    Oyelese told The Nation in Ibadan that the national leadership needs to organise new congresses to accomodate the four factions in the state party.

    He said the alternative solution is to harmonise the factions to give all members a sense of belonging.

    The former Minister of Power and Steel lamented that rather than do the right thing, the national leadership is supporting one group.

    He said: “There are four factions. The national leadership is handicapped because the people who have access to it have something to hide. Of course they will not tell the national leadership the truth. Somebody who is not on ground wants the national leadership to believe that he controls the politics of Oyo State.

    “Of course, they have deceived the national leadership as much as they want, but the truth will prevail. When the truth is known, PDP will be liberated. I am a firm believer in the fact that if the right thing is done within a week, PDP will bounce back in Oyo state.

    “The right thing is to either have a fresh congresses beginning at the ward level or have a thorough harmonisation of positions. What some of the people sitting in one corner are doing won’t work. You don’t do harmonisation like that. Any harmonisation that does not involve party leaders is not harmonisation. Any harmonisation in which a few people want to dictate, even when nobody made them our leaders in Oyo State, won’t work. So if harmonisation cannot work, then we should have fresh congresses.

    “They always tell us that fresh congresses would tear the party apart. No, it won’t. As a matter of fact, it would make it stronger. The more you prevent internal democracy from working in political parties, the more problems you are going to have because a man whose property was stolen will continue to shout until the thief is caught. If the thief refuses to surrender what he has stolen, people know what to do with the thief. So politically, the party would either listen to the majority and go along with them or risk the consequences of not allowing internal democracy.”

    Oyelese was among graduands at Babcock University in Ogun State at the weekend. He bagged a Ph.D in Political Science.

  • Oyo PDP inaugurates three committees

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has inaugurated three committees to strategies on its chances to reclaim the state in 2015, in line with a directive by the party’s national working committee.

    The commitees are Finance (headed by Senator Gbenga Olaofe); Disciplinary (Chief Kola Gbadamosi); and Contact/Mobilisation, whose chairman is yet to be named.

    The committees were inaugurated yesterday at the PDP secretariat in Mokola, Ibadan.

    State PDP Chairman Yinka Taiwo said: “We can reclaim this state, win elective positions and control the state in 2015 if we join hands. The people are waiting for the PDP and we must not let them down; there is no doubt the task for reclaiming Oyo State has begun.”

    The Finance Committee is expected to raise funds to sustain the party.

    Taiwo said discipline is necessary for the party’s progress and urged the Disciplinary Committee to discipline members.

    He urged the Contact/Mobilisation Committee to ensure that members are committed to the party.