Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Oyo State have raised the alarm over alleged plan by some chieftains of the party to substitute the name of elected chairman of the party in ward 12, Ibadan South East Local Government, Comrade Ajibade Gbolagade.
According to the members who spoke under the auspices of Concerned Members of PDP in Ibadan South East Local Government, some chieftains of the party have begun move to change the name of Gbolagade, three months after the conduct of the ward congress of the party.
The PDP members, led by Mr Ola Adejare said the September 26 ward congress of the party produced Gbolagade as the party’s chairman in 12 of the local government, alongside other 17 party executives.
They argued that the result of the ward congress was signed by the chairman of Ibadan South East local government, Hon. Emmanuel Alawode, special adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on culture and tourism, Hon. Akeem Ige and the chairman of Pacesetters Transport Company, Hon. Dare Adeleke.
The PDP members claimed that they had it on good authority that some leaders of the party in ward 12 and the local government have embarked on sinister move to replace Gbolagade with another person as the party’s chairman of the ward.
They also accused Alawode, the council chairman and some PDP executives of nonchalant attitude on the matter, saying that their silence was in support of injustice.
They explained that the position of women leader was conceded to Kudirat Babatunde why same woman also got appointment as special assistant by the Hon Emmanuel Alawode-led administration in the council area why other qualified members were yet to get appointments in the 30 months government of PDP in the state.
The party members called on Governor Seyi Makinde, the deputy national chairman of PDP, South, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja and state chairman of the party Mr Dayo Ogungbenro to wade into the matter and call the PDP leaders to order.
“Our Dear Governor, we want you to urgently address the issue of ward 12. Even in the era of Ibadan-based political godfather, late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu popularly called garrison commander, Peoples Democratic Party has never claimed victory in any election but it was achieved in 2019 due to unrelented effort of members in the ward 12 and therefore helped the victory of our party in Ibadan South East Local Government”
“His Excellency, we are hoping and have confidence that you will give adequate priority to issue of ward 12 party chairmanship position in the interest of peace, justice and equity for the advancement of the PDP in Ibadan South East local government, they said.
“Everybody can testify to the fact that Comrade Gbolagade is one of the vibrant and committed members of PDP in Ibadan South East local government and he has not been found wanton of any anti-party activity.
“It’s unfortunate that some leaders decided to perpetrate injustice by bringing another candidate to replace Comrade Gbolagade. This may create another problem for our party in ward 12 if urgent steps are not taken”, said the PDP members.
