Efforts by chieftains of the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to unite various interests within their fold hit the rock today as two state chairmen emerged from the parallel congress.
At the congress which took place at Baptist High School, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, the Asiwaju of Igbeti, headquarters of Olorunsogo local government area, Chief Jacob Adetoro emerged chairman.
Chief Ogunlade Segun and Hon.Wasiu Adeleke emerged deputy chairman and secretary respectively.
A former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahamed Eesuola was elected Public Relations Officer.
They emerged through voice votes after adoption by accredited delegates as there was no opposition to their nomination. At another congress which held at Watershed Event Centre, Old Ife Road, Ibadan, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha emerged chairman while Alhaji Wasiu Emiola became secretary.
The development, insideoyo.com had reported, was a result of the inability of major stakeholders to agree on how to elect the state executives.
Insideoyo.com how former governor Rashidi Ladoja had allegedly plan to dominate the party structure, a development which made those who are opposed to the idea to go for parallel congress. With the new development, the party is now divided along Ladoja and Seyi Makinde factions.
Behind Ladoja are Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Barr. Sharafadeen Alli, Hon. Maroof Akinwande and hosts of others while Makinde has behind him Sen. Hosea Ayoola, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, Engr. Femi Babalola, Barr. Hazeem Gbolarunmi and Hon. Kehinde Ayoola.
While Ladoja adopted Mustapha as their preferred choice, Makinde preferred Adetoro.
Only yesterday, attempts by Ladoja to allegedly force others to accept Mustapha as the consensus candidate for the chairmanship position was rejected.
A party source said that “it would have been possible if not for the fact that Ladoja and members of his group wanted to take other juicy position together with the chairmanship seat.”
Earlier this morning, the congress did not start until 1 pm at Oke-Ado and around 4 pm at Old Ife Road respectively as the congress chairman, Sen. Lyel Imoke tried unsuccessfully to reconcile the two factions.
Makinde group, it was learnt, gave two options for peace; either the congress goes on without the contentious local government areas or a group is allowed to produce the chairman and 12 other positions and the other secretary and 11 other positions. The party has 27 positions.
Sensing that the factions are not ready to sheath the sword, Imoke was said to have asked the two groups to go on with their parallel congress and submit their report.
Meanwhile, Adetoro has urged party members to brace up for the challenges ahead, adding that with his election as PDP chairman, things will begin to take positive shapes.
Details later.
