Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have called for the re-integration of Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Mr Seyi Makinde and others into the umbrella party, if the party must return to winning ways in future election.
They also expressed reservations over the choice of Uche Secondus as acting national chairman of the party, averring that “people with questionable character should not be allowed to hold positions within the party.”
These were part of the recommendations of the party’s chieftains, under the aegis of Oyo State PDP Leaders of Like Minds, presented to the Emeka Ihedioha-led PDP post-election review sub-committee sitting in Ibadan, on Thursday.
Those who signed the nine-page memorandum presented before the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives included Dr Saka Balogun, Senator Ayo Adeseun, Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Professoor Taoheed Adedoja, Professor Soji Adejumo, Mr Femi Babalola, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Alhaji Bisi Olopoenia and eight others.
The leaders said the hijack of the party structure and consequent imposition of unpopular candidates with the support of some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) forced Ladoja, Alao-Akala, Makinde and others out of the party and led to its dismal performance at the last elections.
“The party should imbibe the culture of transparent internal democracy in all its dealings. If we want to regain our lost glory, conscious and concerted efforts should be made to bring back into our fold, all willing members of Accord Party, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“Since primaries did not actually hold in Oyo State, all monies collected from aspirants should be refunded by the party”
“Party should strictly adhere to its guidelines on how delegates and party executives are to emerge.
“The party has a structure in place to resolve crisis that might emanate in the party. However, operators of the structure did not imbibe the spirit of equity, justice and fair play in handling disputes,” they alleged.
Just as the committee was receiving memoranda from Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo states, a group of protesters stormed the venue of the meeting to press demand for an all-inclusive party executive in Oyo State.
Speaking through their leader, Honourable Akinwumi Akinfemiwa, the protesters, under the aegis of new PDP, called for an all-inclusive PDP in the state, to enable the party to recover every inch of lost ground in 2019.
Source: The Herald
