•Youths campaign for George
Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday renewed its bid for the national chairmanship, saying it is consistent with the party’s principled position on zoning, equity, justice and fair play.
Acknowledging that the slot was zoned to the South, which encompasses the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth, the party chieftains urged the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to streamline the zoning arrangement to enable the Southsouth enjoy the slot.
However, the region is divided by the ambition of the former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, and former Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who is allegedly sponsored by the PDP governors.
A source said some chieftains loyal to Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko are pushing for postponement of the convention till next year to enable him participate in the contest, following expiration of his tenure of office.
In their view, Mimiko has a track record of political participation and leadership, adding that he is conversant with the party tradition, vision, structures and goals.
At a news conference in Lagos, a pro-George group, the Southwest Democratic Youth Vanguard, urged the national leadership to zone the chairmanship to the Southwest.
The group stressed that it is the only zone that has not enjoyed the slot, despite its strategic roles in the history and success of the party since 1999.
Its coordinator, Kola Salau, said the other zones in the South should concede the position to the Southwest because the highest ranking political office holder, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, is from the Southeast and the last Acting Chairman, Uche Secondus, is from the Southsouth.
Urging the Caretaker Committee to uphold the principles of fairness, fair-play and collective interest, he said the party could only achieve this, if the recommendation of the Ekweremadu Committee on zoning to the Southwest is implemented.
Salau added: “You cannot merely zone the chairmanship to the South. This leaves room for distortions and utter confusion about the traditional zoning arrangement, which stipulates that whatever is zoned to the North must come to the South and vice versa in any zoning arrangement.”
The coordinator also said if the position was zoned to the Southwest, Lagos should have it because other state chapters have produced party executives at the zonal and national levels.
Urging the party to consider George, he said: “Experience, integrity, maturity, boldness and knowledge of the party constitution are key attributes in the selection of the topmost position. We believe Chief Olabode George adequately possesses these qualities.
“He has the credibility, the temperament, the gravitas, discipline, national network and a vast pool of connections across the ethnic divide.”
At the news conference were local party leaders from Lagos, including Segun Sowole, Elder John Agbaje, Evangelist Israel Ogunrinde, Mrs. Dewumi Williams and Chief Victor Olajide.
Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday renewed its bid for the national chairmanship, saying it is consistent with the party’s principled position on zoning, equity, justice and fair play.
Acknowledging that the slot was zoned to the South, which encompasses the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth, the party chieftains urged the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to streamline the zoning arrangement to enable the Southsouth enjoy the slot.
However, the region is divided by the ambition of the former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, and former Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who is allegedly sponsored by the PDP governors.
A source said some chieftains loyal to Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko are pushing for postponement of the convention till next year to enable him participate in the contest, following expiration of his tenure of office.
In their view, Mimiko has a track record of political participation and leadership, adding that he is conversant with the party tradition, vision, structures and goals.
At a news conference in Lagos, a pro-George group, the Southwest Democratic Youth Vanguard, urged the national leadership to zone the chairmanship to the Southwest.
The group stressed that it is the only zone that has not enjoyed the slot, despite its strategic roles in the history and success of the party since 1999.
Its coordinator, Kola Salau, said the other zones in the South should concede the position to the Southwest because the highest ranking political office holder, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, is from the Southeast and the last Acting Chairman, Uche Secondus, is from the Southsouth.
Urging the Caretaker Committee to uphold the principles of fairness, fair-play and collective interest, he said the party could only achieve this, if the recommendation of the Ekweremadu Committee on zoning to the Southwest is implemented.
Salau added: “You cannot merely zone the chairmanship to the South. This leaves room for distortions and utter confusion about the traditional zoning arrangement, which stipulates that whatever is zoned to the North must come to the South and vice versa in any zoning arrangement.”
The coordinator also said if the position was zoned to the Southwest, Lagos should have it because other state chapters have produced party executives at the zonal and national levels.
Urging the party to consider George, he said: “Experience, integrity, maturity, boldness and knowledge of the party constitution are key attributes in the selection of the topmost position. We believe Chief Olabode George adequately possesses these qualities.
“He has the credibility, the temperament, the gravitas, discipline, national network and a vast pool of connections across the ethnic divide.”
At the news conference were local party leaders from Lagos, including Segun Sowole, Elder John Agbaje, Evangelist Israel Ogunrinde, Mrs. Dewumi Williams and Chief Victor Olajide.
