The Oyo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is currently in disarray after leaks of private conversations on a WhatsApp group.
In a conversation trending on social media over the weekend, Governor Seyi Makinde was seen where he left the group after a party executive called a probe into security issue in Ibarapaland.
In a leaked chat messages seen by Insideoyo.com on Sunday, members were seen opting out of the platform. The Public Secretary of the Party, Mr Akeem Olatunji who dropped the video also joined the list of members.
But in a statement issued on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, Mr Taiwo Adisa, said that his boss has the right to join or exit any social media platform at anytime as his schedule dictates.
He said this while reacting to the several reactions that have trailed the governor’s sudden exit from a Whatsapp group on Saturday evening, where senior officials of the government and oyo state PDP deliberate on cogent issues bothering on governance and politics.
Adisa, who reacted through his official Facebook page, stated that the principle guiding membership of social groups remains free entry and free exit, adding that such can’t be different in the case of Governor Seyi Makinde.
He explained that though someone may be persuaded by the fact that the group is called PDP official platform, “it has been discovered that people of varied political persuasions are members.”
He said: “Just like every citizen of this country, the governor should be free to belong to or exit any social group without any form of uproar. As a digital governor, Governor Makinde belongs to different groups and platforms and he can choose to exit anyone at anytime as his schedules dictate.
“As much as I know, the principle guiding membership of social groups remains free entry and free exit. It can’t be different in the case of Governor Seyi Makinde.
“The questions here are simple; why is the Governor’s exit from a WhatsApp platform being exaggerated and portrayed as a national issue? Why are some people seeking to give relevance to a mundane issue as this? Does anyone know when and why Governor Makinde joined the said group? Was the group set up or guided by the Constitution of the PDP such that it should become an issue when someone leaves?”
Continuing, he stated that membership of the platform is voluntary and it is only a social gathering, adding that official toga should not be given to something that is strictly a social media platform, which is by no means a statutory body or group.
Further in his response, he maintained: “In fact, we would not have loved to dignify such issue with a response, but we cannot allow individuals with penchant for pedestrian tendencies run amok with a piece of distraction as this.”
“Though someone may be persuaded by the fact that the group is called PDP official platform, we have since discovered that people of varied political persuasions are members. If that was not the case, we would not be having a narrative that tries to magnify the fact that a loyal PDP member left a mere WhatsApp platform and make same look like a matter of urgent national importance. It is not strictly the official business of the PDP that goes on the platform, so those insinuating untruths should desist,” Adisa added.
Security issues in Oyo state have been top discussion across the country after Sunday Adeyemọ popularly known as Sunday Igboho visited Igangan village to evict the head of Fulani community. The Sarki Fulani of the community allegedly fingered in the rising case of kidnapping and banditry in the zone.
