BAYO AGBOOLA from Ibadan writes that the centre can no longer hold under the ‘Umbrella’, as aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members have passed a vote of no confidence on Governor Seyi Makinde
Aggrieved stakeholders
With few days to the commencement of the PDP congresses in Oyo state, some leaders of the party in the state under the name, “Aggrieved PDP Stakeholders” stormed the Jogor centre in Liberty road area of Ibadan to brainstorm on the way out in the coming congresses and as well deliberated on the state of the party in Oyo state among others.
The meeting was attended by major stakeholders in Oyo PDP including Right Hon Mulikat Adeola, Alhaji Gbolarumi, Alhaji Nureni Akanbi, Engineer Femi Babalola, Elder Mattew Abioye, Princess Aderonke Adedoja, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, Asiwaju Adekola Adeoye, Alhaji Sarafa Olaoniye, Alhaji Ahmed Aranse, Alhaji Ajinawo, Baba Elisa, Chief Odeyemi, Alhaji Somope, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, Hon Micheal Okunlade and host of others drawn from members drawn from he 33 local government areas of the state.
Purpose of meeting
The key points at the meeting was the insistence of the aggrieved PDP stakeholders to prevent the emergence of Engr Seyi Makinde as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for a second term in office come 2023 general elections and the vote of no confidence unanimously passed on Gov Seyi Makinde by the aggrieved stakeholders at the meeting.
At the meeting, a former House of Representatives majority leader, Right Hon Akande Adeola, minced no words in tasking the fellow aggrieved stakeholders of the need to wake up for the challenges ahead in the conduct of the coming congresses, saying, “Go to your wards, mobilise your people. Don’t fight anybody. record whatever happens and leave us to do the remaining in Abuja.”
Another major stakeholder in Oyo PDP, Chief Nureni Akanbi while speaking at the meeting disclosed that “never again would they entrust their destinies in the hands of someone like the incumbent governor of the state considering his alleged manner of mismanaging the leadership of the party in the past two years.”
Communique
The meeting later came up with a communique stating: “The PDP stakeholders met today with members attending from all the 33 local governments of state and resolved as follows: “Members are urged to conduct themselves at the Congress Venue which remains the word meeting venues in each of the 351 words in the state.
“If the other members of the PDP showed up at the venue, they should jointly hold the congress together but nobody should engage in any act of hooliganism and brigandage. As members of the same party, we must relate as such.
“Members are assured that efforts are on to ensure that the party is back to the members. Prays for peaceful conduct the PDP Congress which begins on Saturday, 25th September through 16th 2021. October and that the meeting rose with passing of vote of no confidence on the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde on the Oyo state PDP.”
Reaction of state party
In reaction to the merting, the party in the statement by its Oyo State Publicity Secretary, Engr Akeem Olatunji accused the stakeholders of resorting to ” spurious claims aimed at currying undue and undeserved public sympathy.” particularly for passing vote of no confidence on Gov Makinde based on their selfish interest at the detriment of general interest and that of the state and as well as “playing politics as a private business for personal gains and not for public good and the development of Oyo state”,
“As the party’s congress approaches, their voices against Governor Makinde and his performing government have been raised to the rooftops not because GSM has stopped performing or breaking new grounds of success in governance, but simply because they felt their personal political expectations and gratifications were denied them in the larger interest of the good people of Oyo state.
Engr Olatunji stressed, “some of the members who claimed to be aggrieved are merely acting out their frustrations after their candidates in government were either redeployed due to incompetence or shown the exit door due to gross misconduct bothering on challenge of integrity. We want to state unequivocally that no man or woman with genuine love for his or her own household would want to destroy the family except such man or woman has started receiving gratification or personal benefits to accomplish such task.
“The fact remains that they will never tell you details of their supposed grievances against Governor Seyi Makinde other than the very parochial narrative of ‘unfulfilled promises’, and these spurious claims are merely aimed at currying undue and undeserved public sympathy”.
The PDP Publicity Secretary stated, “there is no part of the world where the political landscape is devoid of mixed feelings from time to time due to presumably un-achieved expectations for whatever reason. But that is never a licence to embark on a campaign of sheer political blackmail in order to recruit unsuspecting political members into a selfish, perilous and very personal scheme to bring down a God Sent Man simply because of some unfulfilled personal and political gain, to the detriment of the masses.”
Condemning the aggrieved stakeholders position, he said, “let it be clearly known to the entire PDP family in Oyo state, Nigeria, and the entire world that the so called aggrieved members of our great party who ‘jokingly’ passed a vote-of-no-confidence on Governor Makinde did so without a single basis of government failure to fulfill its electoral promises, and have, therefore, deliberately embarked on a mission of political blackmail in their pursuit of absolute personal gratifications and benefits, regardless of the redemption
He declared that all its” leaders, brothers and sisters who feel aggrieved for whatever reasons to sheathe their swords and not further project themselves to the public in like manner as those in government between 2011–2019 who, out of sheer greed, covetousness and selfishness plunged Oyo state into the pit of backwardness, a backwardness that is now being redressed and redeemed by the Seyi Makinde administration that has been working tirelessly to return Oyo State to the path of growth and development” .
He further stated, “While we acknowledge that it is in order for politicians participating in politics and political activities to have personal aspirations and political expectations for their commitment and services to the party, it is very important to stress emphatically that such personal or political aspirations and expectations must not at any point override the ultimate interest of the party and, therefore, there should never, at any point, be a foreclosure to healthy political engagements and communication within the party among party stakeholders and stockholders.
“We want to, once again, urge all our leaders, brothers and sisters who feel aggrieved for whatever reasons to sheath their swords and not further project themselves to the public in like manner as those in government between 2011–2019 who, out of sheer greed, covetousness and selfishness plunged Oyo state into the pit of backwardness, a backwardness that is now being redressed and redeemed by the Seyi Makinde administration that has been working tirelessly to return Oyo state to the path of growth and development” , so says the Oyo state Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Publicity Secretary as aggrieved stakeholders in the party takes up the battle for the control of the party from the governor.
The Governor Seyi Makinde-led PDP on its part quickly disowned the aggrieved PDP stakeholders and their stand as contained in their communique tagging them as “engaging in pure anti-party activities cum political blackmail campaign against the governor to achieve their personal interest.
Possible parallel ward congresses
With the unfolding fact, political observers in Oyo state are of the view that as it in the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the ward congresses characterised by parallel congresses, so shall it surely be in the ruling PDP in Oyo state as every indication within the PDP in the state points to holding of parallel ward congresses come September 25, the outcome of which may not augur well for the ruling party in the state.
