Few days after members of the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held parallel congress in Ibadan, the state capital, owing to irreconcilable differences, the crisis rocking the party in the South West continued unabated, yesterday, as both the Senator Buruji Kashamu faction and that of Dr Eddy Olafeso held two parallel zonal meetings in Ibadan.
Vanguard reported that two factions of the party are both claiming authenticity.
Kashamu’s meeting took place at Old Ife road while Olafeso’s held its own at Ibadan Civic Centre, Agodi.
As for Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, loyalist of Senator Kashamu, who brandished a court judgment which he said authenticated his own executive, he called on the national leadership of the party to ensure that impunity which led to defeat of the party in 2015 elections does not lead to another electoral defeat.
At the end of the zonal meeting of the factional executive of the party at Old Ife road, Ibadan yesterday, the Chief Ogundipe-led executive also said the position of the National Caretaker Committee that was zoned to the South West should remain so without playing unnecessary politics.
Makanjuola, who was flanked by Otunba Femi Carrena, auditor, Alhaji Pegba Otemolu, zonal Secretary, Alhaji Bello Jimoh from Osun, Mrs Rachael Olaoye from Ekiti, Alhaji Rasaq Adeola, zonal auditor and Mrs Akinribide Grace from Ondo said, his executive was committed to true and transparent democracy in the party and in the zone.
Olafeso faction at its own meeting appealed to all aspirants vying for the office of the national chairman to agree and reduce the number of aspirants so as not to jeopardise the chances of the zone.
Olafeso, who allotted positions of treasurer, deputy publicity secretary, deputy woman leader, two ex-offico members to some members of the party said the committee that zoned the positions was chaired by Senator Iyiola Omisore, with other members from Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, and Lagos states like Dr. M. Oladimeji, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Ladi Ojomo, Idowu Odeyemi and Tunji Shelle, respectively.
According to Dr Olafeso, the national treasurer was zoned to Ekiti state, deputy publicity secretary-Osun state, deputy woman leader Lagos while the two ex-offico members were zoned to Ogun and Oyo states respectively.
