After a meeting that lasted many hours at the Ondo Street, Bodija, Ibadan residence of former governor Rashid Ladoja, members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to him yesterday issued a 7-day ultimatum to the national leadership of the party to affirm the results of last year’s PDP congress that held at Watershed Event Centre, Old Ife Road, Ibadan.
They, however, did not announce what their next line of action would be when the ultimatum ends.
Insight Oyo had reported how the PDP was factionalized last year with factions loyal to Ladoja and Engr Seyi Makinde holding parallel congress. Makinde’s faction, which held its congress at Baptist High School, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, elected Chief Jacob Adetoro as its chairman while Ladoja’s faction elected Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha as chairman.
It is widely believed that both Ladoja and Makinde have trust issues. While Makinde is poised to contest the 2019 gubernatorial election under the PDP, Ladoja is said to be against it as he prefers either of Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin or Barr Sharafadeen Alli.
For long, the party, Insight Oyo gathered, looked for ways to harmonised the warring faction.
Last Sunday, the party, following the recommendations of its appeal panel on the Oyo PDP congress, harmonised the Excos list.
Ladoja and his supporters were not satisfied with the decision. He was said to have called for boycott of the inauguration which took place in Abuja last Monday. However, to his surprise, most of those he ‘trusted’ surfaced at the inauguration.
Only few days ago, Insight Oyo reported how Ladoja and his loyalist have concluded plans to dump the party for a yet-to-be-named party.
The action, Insight Oyo was told, made his loyalist to convene a stakeholders’ meeting yesterday.
A communique issued after the meeting, a copy of which was made available to Insight Oyo, called on “the National Working Committee of PDP to, as a matter of urgency:
“(i) Recognise and affirm the state executives list produced by the legally and properly conducted state congress of Senator Liyel Imoke.
“(ii) That the National Working Committee of PDP should within seven (7) days of this publication rescind its decision to alter the Oyo State Exco and publish the results of November 4th 2017 state congress held at the Watershed Event Centre in Ibadan.
“(iii) Ensure that all PDP officers involved overtly and covertly in the publication of the distorted Oyo State executives list are adequately sanctioned.
“(iv) Give firm assurances to Oyo State PDP stakeholders, under the able leadership of our highly referred leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, that the party leadership will always adhere to the party’s constitution in handling the affairs of Oyo State PDP.”
The communique, signed by its spokesperson, Engr Akeem Olatunji, explained that “the stakeholders’ meeting was called at the instance of our Great Leader, Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, to give a holistic appraisal to the recent unpalatable incident in Oyo State PDP.”
Read the communique:
It will be recalled that a few days ago, precisely on Saturday, 9th of June 2018, a publication supposedly emanated from PDP National Secretariat wrongfully altering the Oyo State Pdp executives list.
The meeting was attended by the Leader of PDP in Oyo State, Sen Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja; State Executives led by the State Chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha; notable leaders of the party like Oyo State former Deputy Governor, Engineer Hameed Gbadamosi; Senator Gbenga Babalola; Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu; Barrister Bayo Lawal; Chief Ali Oyedeji; Engineer Femi Babalola; Chief Solomon Ayansina; Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Chief Bisi Ilaka; Honourable Segun Oyewole (Segeto); PDP candidate that won the just concluded Ibarapa East bye election, Honourable Ogundoyin Adebo; Local government party chairmen led by Honourable Seun Adelore; Honourable Busari Olayemi Sikirui; Honourable Maroof Akinwande; Honourable Nureni Adisa; Dr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran; Hon Yemi Aderibigbe, Hon Bimbo Adepoju, Architect Bashir Lawal, Mogaji Tajudeen Aderemi Abass Aleshinloye, Mrs Kikelomo Sogbesan (Mama Mukeso Destiny); Alhaja Tanimowo; Mrs Yetunde Ajibola, Mrs Monisola Tegbe and many others.
The stakeholders condemned and rejected the removal of elected officers and purported imposition of unelected individuals.
The stakeholders were briefed on the activities of few principal officers of PDP at the zonal level acting in negative connivance with a few elements of retrogression in Oyo State PDP.
