The National Vice Chairman (South West) of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Eddy Olafeso Monday denied the report on the adoption of any aspirant for the post of the national chairman of the party by the leadership of the party in the zone.
He said that former governor Rashidi Ladoja and others have not been disqualified.
The South-West BoT of the party had disqualified Ladoja and two others vying for the position.
Olafeso in a statement in Akure, the Ondo state capital, hinted that none of the candidate vying for the position of the national chairman was disqualified by the party as being speculated.
According to him, the purported endorsement of an aspirant being speculated was aimed at causing internal crisis in the party ahead of December 9, national convention.
The statement reads “the South West Zonal Executive takes serious cognizance of the purported endorsement of some aspirants to the office of the National Chairman of our Party and wishes to state very firmly that the executive dissociates itself from that action out rightly.
“We equally wish to underscore the fact that we detest this act of impunity and will not support any action that will infringe on the fundamental rights of any Party man to aspire to the highest position in the party.
“In furtherance of this, we affirm that all those gentlemen from the South West that wish to contest for the position of the National Chairman of the party are at liberty to continue to pursue their ambition without encumbrance or hindrance.
Olafeso declared that the said decision to shut out people from contesting the election is a mere personal decision of a few, saying” as many members of the Board of Trustees we have been contacted on this score ,and we have firmly disassociated ourselves from this action.
“We however declare that we remain in constant touch with stakeholders in the South West who possess the legitimate right to proffer guidance and input required to position and promotes the Party.
“The issue of adopting a common position in the party is a serious action that must take due cognizance of every tendency within the party”.
The statement therefore maintained that no one has been barred from pursuing their ambitions in any manner within the PDP in the Southwest
