The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmen in four South West States have called on the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to intervene in what they described as simmering crisis being propelled by the ambition of the former National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George and the party’s current caretaker Chairman in Ekiti State,Senator Hosea Agboola, to become National Chairman and National Vice Chairman respectively.
The Chairmen, in a letter dated June 19, 2020, and addressed to the party’s National Chairman, Secondus, frowned at last Friday’s South West stakeholders meeting of the party, held in Ibadan, noting that the meeting was unilaterally summoned by Governor Seyi Makinde, with no recourse whatsoever to the Zonal Executive of the party.
The letter which was signed by Hon. Deji Doherty; Engr. Clement Faboyede; Dr. Sikirulai Olawale Ogundele and Elder Sunday Akanfe; Chairmen of Lagos; Ondo; Ogun and Osun States respectively, alleged that Makinde was supporting the plot to remove Secondus as PDP National Chairman.
“We the undersigned are party Chairmen in States of the South West Zone and we feel duty bound to alert you on the need to forestall the festering of any crisis in the South West zone of the party.
“This action becomes necessary in view of the new schism rearing its head in our zone. It is our immediate concern to ensure that all hands are on deck to halt the growth of needless crisis that will negatively affect the health of our party in the South West Zone.
“In this respect, we take due notice of the invitation to a purported South West Zone meeting which held on Friday, 19th June 2020 unilaterally summoned by His Excellency, Engr Oluseyi Makinde, with no recourse whatsoever to the Zonal Executive. This development if not arrested may signal the beginning of terrible developments in our zone.
“We are also aware that factors propelling the simmering crisis included the ambition of Chief Olabode George to become National Chairman at all cost and also that of Senator Hosea Agboola, current caretaker Chairman of Ekiti State to become National Vice Chairman.
These two men are exploring their closeness to Governor Seyi Makinde to prosecute inordinate ambition at the expense of the existing amity and understanding within the South West Zone which is currently being disrupted for this reason.
“We urge the National Working Committee to take immediate action geared at forestalling unnecessary crisis in our Zone by calling the aforementioned men to order and educate them on the need to play by the rules and not create any trouble in the zone.
“We also wish to place it on record our confidence in the Zonal Caretaker Committee to discharge its constitutional responsibilities exquisitely and will always support them in this regard.
“Our interest is majorly to ensure that our party is insulated from any unnecessary crisis and therefore urge Your Excellency to take immediate actions in this respect,” the statement said.
