2023: PDP’s chances, search for peace in South-west

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had overtime lost most its party controlled states in the South-west states which was part of its undoing in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. In this report ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU examines the parties search for a stronger and united structure in the geo-political zone as well as the party’s chances in 2023 general elections.

Following the emergence of Engineer Seyi Makinde in Oyo state as the only governor elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) he, expectedly, became the rally point of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and its entire member in the South-west.

Having been a major player in the PDP regional and national leaders of the party considered him a rally point of the party’s interests in a bid to improve the fortunes of the party in the South-west.

The garb of regional leader was thrust on him with the onerous assignment of uniting leaders and members in the six South-west states of Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, and Ekiti.

Rebuilding South-west PDP

Notably, prior to Makinde’s election as governor of Oyo state all was not well with the PDP in all the six states in the region, however, as a man who understand the game he quickly swung into action, touring the states in the geo-political zone in a bid to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party.

Interestingly, Makinde’s efforts yielded some positive results, as some erstwhile leaders were on March 15, 2020, welcomed back to the PDP at the famous Mapo Hall, Ibadan Unification Rally.

They include the former Governor of Osun state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the former Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Fatai Akinbade; the former Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Taofeek Arapaja; Senator Gbenga Babalola; the ADP Governorship Candidate in Lagos state, Mr Olaleye Gbadamosi; and Ladipupo Adebutu Kensington (Ogun), among others. They were welcomed with fanfare even as the public were assured that all was now well with the party.

Some of the party leaders in attendance at the unity rally include the Governor of Bayelsa state, Duoye Diri, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who was represented by General S. A Akopondu; the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; the former Vice President and PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2019 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, who was represented by his son Adamu Abubakar; and the Chairman, PDP Adamawa state, A.T Shehu.

Others were, former PDP Deputy National Chairman (South-west), Shuaib Oyedokun; former PDP National Vice Chairman (South-west), Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipupo; Wife of former Governor of Oyo state, Alhaja Mutiyat Ladoja, and Mrs. Bosede Adedibu.

In his address Makinde said: “This rally is important to us, it is the beginning of our unity in the party and the region as a whole. If the South-west is peaceful, the entire country will be peaceful. We now use this opportunity to welcome our brothers and sisters from APC, ADP, ZLP, SDP and ADC.”

On his part Chief Olabode George said, “I remember almost 20 years ago when we came here the party is ready to sweep the Southwest and I am sure that it will be the same thing all over the country. And this is just the beginning.

“If the leader of their party declared publicly that coronavirus is already in their party, who wants to catch virus? It’s a plague. We have no virus in our party. Let people who are ready and willing come to our own fold.”

In her remarks, the former Deputy Governor of Osun state, Olusola Obada, said: “We are indeed very great full and happy for today’s unification rally. It is the beginning of a new rebirth for the party in the region. In the next election, PDP will reclaim all its lost territories in the entire region. We are reclaiming the Southwest back with the return of the big wigs into the party across the region.”

Political analysts are of the view that the Ibadan Unification Rally does not end the age long crisis that has been bedevilling the zone. They are of the view that, only a few gathered in the Ibadan funfair but that there was still a lot to be done to achieve peace in the zone.

Ogun still in crisis

The Ogun state chapter of the PDP has been in crisis since 2011 and in recent times there have been two factions in the state, one led by Prince Ladipupo Adebutu Kensington and another led by the allegedly expelled Senator Buruji Kashamu.

In the build-up to the 2019 general elections all attempts to bring lasting peace to the chapter ended up compounding the crisis. Many people had expected the PDP to take advantage of the crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to consolidate its hold. Unfortunately, when smaller parties like the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party(ANRP), Alliance for Democracy (AD), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), were already at home with their governorship candidates after seamless primaries the PDP was battling with court processes.

Eventually, the court pronounced Senator Kashamu the party’s candidate while the NWC pronounced Oladipupo Adebutu, hence the party went into the 2019 governorship election divided and this greatly affected the party’s chances at both governorship and presidential elections.

Peace at last?

Recently, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus declared that the state chapter is now united and all issues settled.

Secondus, who stated this when he received PDP delegates and some factional state executive from Ogun state led by Hon. Ladi Adebutu, recently in Abuja stated that, “PDP has an internal conflict resolution mechanism to settle issues that have been lingering for long time. By your statement and your submission today, it means that all ramblings in Ogun state have been put to rest and including the legal issues.”

He added that, “We glad that you have come and we assure you that you will receive all attention from the party headquarters. And in accordance with rules, that is the constitution of our party.

“It is also very clear that only national body, that in conjunction with the state, can conduct all congresses, primaries, and can submit list of their candidate to INEC. The law is very clear and anything contrary to that is against the law.

“We are happy that our party in Ogun state has come together and we will give you all the support. Please don’t be distracted, we also want to appeal to the Judiciary to help the party, so that the party can move on.”

In his remark, Adebutu explained that, “The chapter of the party at Ogun state had been embroiled in conflicts for 12 years. So, a chapter that had 100 per cent of all the elective position in the state moved to a party that only has just one out of the 40 elective positions.”

He added that, “In this 12 years we have had two parallel executives in the state that have not always work together. This cumulated a situation where in the last election when the party produced me as the candidate of the party, the other faction has another candidate. At the end of the day, unfortunately we lost the election woefully.”

According to Adebutu, “Out of the 14 members of the State Working Committee one is still at loggerhead with us, because he was a candidate in the last general elections but interestingly, 10 others are very active with the PDP and have aligned with the decision of the PDP national headquarters. “Three members of the State Working Committee are still drifting in and out, some days they claim they are with us, other days they are with APC. However, what this means is that out of 14 we have 10 led by the factional secretary returning fully to the mainstream and total alliance to the dictates of the party at the national level.”

Continuing he said, “The belief is that by this all issues of litigation will be put to rest. Our party shall become one stronger force again and shall remain the singular strongest opposition in Ogun state. And I can assure you that you can count Ogun state in the kitty for our party in 2023.”

The leader of the factional executive, Semiu Sodipo, stated that, “I want to join our leader. I am informing you that the crisis in Ogun state has really come to an end. I was part of the problem, I had been acting secretary, I was acting secretary from 2009 to 2010. I was the one who conducted one of the congresses in 2011 general elections.

“We have realized that controlling the structure does not mean controlling the people. And it does not really translate to victory. We have conducted election three times, 2011, 2014 and 2019 and nothing has come out of it. I now looked at the whole thing and asked what can we do? Except we do what is necessary, without the national headquarters working with us, we will not make any progress.”

In a swiftly reaction, the Senator Kashamu-led faction debunked teaming up with Adebutu, claiming that factional secretary, Semiu Sodipo, and others that attended the meeting had been suspended for anti-party activities.

Pundits are of the view that it will be Herculean task to unite factions in Ogun PDP, noting that the chapter was struggling with copious law suits amid deep seated animosity and power play which make unity a tough goal to achieve.

Osun chapter in disarray

Like in Ogun state, the PDP Osun state chapter has also been in disarray. The emergence of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the governorship candidate in the September 22, 2018 election left the party factionalised.

While a major chieftain Senator Iyiola Omisore abandoned the party to contest on the platform of the SDP, some others stayed put but nursed serious grudges. The control of the party structure remains a hot contest between the two major factions within the PDP in the state.

NWC of the party recently asked the Chairman of the PDP Osun state, Hon Soji Adagunodo, to step aside. In a letter addressed to him by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Usman Tsauri, he was told to quit being the chairman of the party in Osun pending when full investigations would be concluded into allegations of maladministration, anti-party activities, and malfeasance levelled against him.

Rejecting the purported suspension, Adagundo in a statement said, “The PDP members in Osun state are hereby advised to ignore the purported letter in circulation as no official communication from national headquarters had reached me. Members of the public are also advised to disregard any purported letter asking me to step aside.”

All is not well in Ondo, Ekiti

In Ondo state, all is not well with the PDP in spite of its fairly good outing in the last general elections, where it won two Senatorial and three House of Representatives seats.

The conduct of its congresses has been a tug of war between factions. They have been unable to overcome their differences.

In Ondo PDP the division over which zone or Senatorial District should produce the governorship candidate is yet to close.

Similarly in Ekiti, where the party lost to the APC in 2018, the former Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujinmi are still at loggerheads and this has further complicated the structure of the party.

Both dramatics personae are locking horns over the control of the party’s structure. Neither of the duo is showing genuine willingness to shift grounds for the overall well-being of the party in Ekiti state.

Peace as panacea for success

An Ibadan-based public analyst Abiodun Oladoye has said that the PDP needed to be at peace in the South-west to ensure a successful outing in the 2023 general elections.

In a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend Oladoye said, “PDP in the six states in South-west are not at peace. Many of the stalwarts are fighting for the party’s structure. This affected the party in the governorship and presidential elections.

“Though the Governor of Oyo state as the leader of the party in the zone has started a peace process there is need for him to do more. They should go round all local government in the zone and states to reconcile the aggrieved and ensure they are all working for the interest of the party.

“To achieve success in 2023 general election and some governorship election that will take place in the zone before then, PDP needs to be at peace.”

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