Lagos PDP leaders mourn caretaker chair

Some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday described the death of the party’s Caretaker Chairman in Lagos state, Babatunde Solanke, as “shocking.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Solanke died on Saturday at the Lagos state Teaching Hospital after slumping in a hotel in Ikeja.
The deceased had scheduled a meeting with some chieftains of the party in the state on the fateful day.
He has been buried in his hometown, Abeokuta, Ogun state.
NAN reports that the deceased was appointed the caretaker chairman in August by the party’s national leadership following the dissolution of the state executive.
The dissolution followed a leadership tussle between two factions in the state chapter.
Solanke was mandated to conduct congress to elect a new executive within three months.
A former factional chairman of the party in Lagos State, Moshood Salvador, said that he was devastated by Mr. Solanke’s sudden demise.
He said the deceased sent him a text message at 3.00 p.m. on the scheduled meeting.
Salvador described Solanke as “a gentleman” who was committed to the unity and progress of PDP.
“He was a complete gentleman who was trying his best to unite everyone ahead of the congress.
“He is a peacemaker and a friend of all. This is a great loss for the PDP family. It is so sad that we have lost him.
“I pray for the peaceful repose of his soul and the fortitude for the family to bear the loss,” he said.
Another former factional Chairman of Lagos PDP, Segun Adewale, described the death as sad.
He said he had information that Solanke scheduled a meetings with some chieftains of the party.
He prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
The Head of Publicity of the caretaker committee, Femi Careena, said Solanke’s death was an unpleasant surprise.
Careena said all activities concerning the congress would be suspended for a week to honour Solanke.
In his reaction, a former Publicity Secretary of the party, Taofik Gani, said Solanke was committed to midwifing a progressive PDP in the state.
“He was a true politician with zeal to reconcile. I pray Lagos would get somebody like him to conclude the caretaker chairmanship,” he said.

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