SW PDP congress: Four chairmen allege rigging plot as Makinde tips own candidate


With few hours to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South West congress billed for Osogbo this Monday, Governor Seyi Makinde has vowed that his candidate, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja will emerge as  PDP  SW zonal Chairman.

Already, PDP state chairmen from four of the South West states have raised alarm over alleged release of over 150 ballot papers for the election to the Gov Makinde led faction of the party.

Speaking Saturday in Ogbomoso at the installation of the Director-General, Oyo State Investment and Public and Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA), Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, as Otunba Mayeloye of Ijeru Kingdom, the governor said by now, people ought to have the premonition of what would happen at the zonal congress of the PDP.

 “You would have been having a premonition about what will happen on Monday (in Osogbo); the Mayeloye title will really be made manifest in Arapaja as he will emerge the Chairman,” he said.

However, the four PDP chairmen in a petition to the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, dated April 10, 2021, signed by the Ogun state  chairman of the party, Dr Sikirulai Ogundele, on behalf of the PDP chairmen in Ekiti, Lagos, Osun States, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, Engr Adedeji Doherty and Hon Sunday Bisi respectively, alleged suspected foul play on the planned zonal congress.

In the petition, the  Chairmen demanded that all ballot papers to be used for the congress should be signed by the National Chairman and that they must not exceed the number of delegates while  ” Observers/Monitors should be deployed by the party to save the party from impending anarchy.

Part of the petition reads; “I write on behalf of the Chairmen of Lagos, Osun, Ekiti and Ogun States to inform you of the clandestine plot to manipulate the South-West Congress scheduled for Monday, in Osogbo, Osun State. We have been reliably informed that over 150 (One hundred and Fifty) ballot papers for the election of National Vice Chairman and Zonal Secretary have been released to the group led by the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, to manipulate the Zonal Congress on Monday. This is coming after the failure of all the clandestine plots to manipulate the delegate lists.”

The Chairmen alleged further that “these ballot papers were said to have been released through the office of the National Organising Secretary by one Prince Adeyemi”, adding, “the ballot papers are to be handed to some selected delegates from Oyo State in particular, to dump in the ballot boxes with the ballot papers to be given to them during voting.”

“We therefore call on the party to ensure a credible congress by compelling the office of the National Organising Secretary to make sure that number of ballot papers released and the serial numbers are made public. All ballot papers to be used for the congress must be signed by your good-self and they must not exceed the number of delegates. All congress materials, especially the ballot papers and result sheets must be inspected agreeable to all aspirants before voting.”

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