Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo state have passed a vote of no confidence on the state executive council.
They also called for the immediate dissolution of the state party exco.
The demands form part of resolutions made during a stakeholders meeting by a faction of the party.
But when contacted, the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Akeem Olatunji denied knowledge of the meeting, adding that there should not be need for such demands as made by the so called stakeholders.
The stakeholders who met to brainstorm on the way forward for the party asked the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to dissolve the party executives from ward to state level in order to save the party from extinction.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting also rejected the party primaries conducted by state executives to elect chairmanship and councillorship candidates.
Some of the PDP Stakeholders that attended the meeting in Ibadan included, Former Deputy Governor of Oyo, Hazeem Gbolarunmi, Alh. Nureni Akanbi, Alh. Bisi Olopoeyan, former commissioner, Alh. Oribayo Okeyode, Engr. Femi Babalola, Pa Elisa Olanrewaju, Chief Lanihun and Mr Ojediran Ishola.
Others are, Alh. Azeez Ajinawo, Mrs. Yemisi Atanda , Alh. Mudasiru Somope, Alh. Waheed Adurodekun, Mogaji Abass Alesinloye, former commissioner Ayuba Balogun, Hon. Michael Okunlade, Alh. Bola Akinyemi among several other party leaders in the state.
In a communiqué released after their meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo state party leaders, chieftains expressed their dissatisfaction over the attitude of Governor Seyi Makinde toward the party and party leaders saying the governor has the intention of destroying the party “before he joins another party”.
The communique issued reads in part “The PDP Stakeholders across the state met today 19th March, 2021 and resolved as follows:
“That the government of Engr. Seyi Makinde has relegated the party and party leaders while recognising none Party members and none politicians, if not properly checked and appropriately addressed headlong, may lead to implosion within our party. It is like he has agenda to destroy the party before he moves to another political party.
“That the stakeholders from various local governments support the trip to Abuja and the demands made to the national leadership, also commended the effort of Sen. Bukola Saraki led reconciliation committee.
“The PDP stakeholders unanimously rejected the shambolic primary conducted to elect chairmanship and councillorship candidates and called for its total cancellation and refund all the monies paid for nomination forms by all the 808 councillors at the rate of N350,000 and 149 chairmanship aspirants at the rate of N750,000.
“That we therefore, pass a vote of no confidence on the executive council of PDP in Oyo state and we hereby demand the dissolution of the state party exco. Instead, we ask the national body of our great party to put in place, a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party, pending the time state congress will be held and substantive exco will be elected.
“That the national leadership of the party should wade in to safe the party from extinction. That we call on all security agencies to be on their toes as there are threats to the lives of prominent stakeholders in the Oyo state PDP.”
Reacting, Oyo PDP spokesperson, Akeem Olatunji said he does not understand why some individuals could be making such a demand, adding that the state chapter of the party could be described as the most peaceful not only in the region but in the country as a whole.
Olatunji said “I am not aware of any communiques by any stakeholder. I am just hearing of it and until I read the communique, I may not be able to react.
“But as far as we are concerned, I don’t think there is anything that warrants such because there is no faction. As far as Oyo state is concerned even in the Southwest, Oyo PDP is more or less the most active chapter of PDP in the Southwest and possibly in Nigeria as well.
“By the time I study the communique, I will be able to take a proper reaction because the leadership of the party will also have to take a look at it.”
