Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West geopolitical zone have harped on the need for unity and cohesion in the party.
This is as former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has been chosen to chair PDP reconciliation committee in the South West.
The leaders of the party also stated that the zone remained strategic to the PDP if it must win election at the national level.
The leaders, including the Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, former governors of Osun and Ekiti states, Oyinlola and Engr. Segun Oni, as well as members of the Board of Trustees of the party, and party chairmen from the states, among others, called on the national leadership of the party to bring all aggrieved factions in the party together.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the party leaders met at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, on Thursday and released a communique endorsed by the Acting National Vice Chairman, South-West, Dayo Ogungbenro.
In the communique, the South-West PDP leaders appointed a five-man reconciliation committee headed by Oyinlola, which was charged with the responsibility to unite all factions in the geopolitical zone.
Other members of the committee, the statement noted, include: Chief Saka Balogun, Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru and Barr. Olayinka Kukoyi.
The statement further stated that the meeting also resolved that zonal executive positions of the party should be zoned to all states of the South-West, adding that it had become imperative for the party to unite ahead future elections across the zone.
The communique reads: “We the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West geopolitical zone held a meeting at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, today, November 12, 2020.
“The meeting, which was presided over by the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, FNSE, discussed the need for unity and cohesion in the Party in our geopolitical zone and across the country and the need to exercise caution on the proposed move to clampdown on social media by the All Progressives Congress (APC-led) Federal Government.
“After a careful appraisal of the political developments in the South-West, the urgent need to unite the PDP in the geopolitical zone and to ensure that all aggrieved members come together to build a great Party, we do hereby resolve as follow:
“That a 5-man Committee be set up to reconcile all aggrieved and warring factions in the South-West PDP in order to bring about peace and unity in the Party.
“The Committee is to be chaired by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, with Chief Saka Balogun, Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru and Barr. Olayinka Kukoyi as members.
“That the 10 Zonal Executive Posts be zoned to all states of the South-West as follow: Zonal Chairman (Oyo State), Zonal Secretary (Lagos State), Zonal Publicity Secretary (Ekiti State), Zonal Organising Secretary (Ondo State), Zonal Financial Secretary (Osun State), Zonal Youth Leader (Osun State), Zonal Legal Officer (Ogun State), Zonal Treasurer (Ogun State), Zonal Women Leader (Oyo State) and Zonal Auditor (Lagos State).
“The meeting also resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, additional slots of ex-officio members be given to Ekiti and Ondo states in view of the fact that they would occupy only one office each in the zone.”
The PDP leaders also used the occasion to call on the Federal Government and the National Assembly not to go-ahead with the proposed clampdown on social media, saying the move will infringe on Nigerians’ freedom of expression.
They called on the Federal Government to strengthen existing laws to prevent the abuse of the freedom of expression.
In his remarks, Governor Makinde maintained that the meeting was convened to address the challenges facing the party in the South-West.
He said: “PDP South-West is the only place where if PDP wants to win nationally, it must get right. Once they fail to get the South-West right, they should forget the presidency.
“So, for us, we have to try to pull together and get things right. My observation is, in the past, some arrogated power to determine the fate of PDP in the South-West to a few individuals. And I am saying loud and clear here that being the only PDP governor in the South-West today, I don’t have such power.”
Earlier, the acting zonal chairman of the South-West PDP, Ogungbenro said it was high time the party reclaimed the Presidency, saying it had become important to unite all members of the party.
