Governor Seyi Makinde, on Monday, inaugurated a steering committee piloted by PDP elders forum to look into the various challenges confronting the party and reconcile aggrieved factions.
The committee, comprising seven members, was inaugurated at the government house and chaired by foremost PDP Stalwart, Dr. Saka Balogun.
In my opinion, the 7-man committee is another talk shop like the Oputa Panel, whose report would never be read nor executed.
Firstly, what is the grievance?
The grievance is not against party executives sharing formula as agreed at the fusionof all the groups that formed the Oyo State PDP. No faction of the party is fighting for supremacy. So, there are no aggrieved members or PDP avengers.
The grievance, to my understanding, is the unilateral approach of Governor Seyi Makinde in the distribution of government appointments without recourse and reference to party elders and leaders. Therefore, His Excellency, Seyi Makinde is the accused while majority party members, smiling and suffering, outspoken or silent, are the accusers or the aggrieved.
In this wise, Governor Makinde, being the number one accused, has no the moral right to inaugurate a reconciliation committee. Rather, the party leaders and elders are to seek the Governor’s approval as the administrative leader of the party, as to the formation of a genuine Reconciliation Committee.
Reading through the list of names of the members of the committee, one wonders why Governor Makinde, who has the penchant to always relegate local party leaders and elders, could now turn round, for obvious reason, not to institute Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha as the chairman of the Reconciliation Committee. This is a Governor that always consults with local party excos to fill appointment instead of local leaders and elders. Why did he not now place Alhaji Kunmi over other party leaders in the committee? Double standard!
Let me state this rightly, the number one aggrieved person is the Oyo State PDP chairman whose office is being usurped by the Senator Ayoola Agboola Advisory Council and the nauseating “Omititun” syndrome. Though silent is not all the time golden, Alhaji Kunmi must be commended as a loyal party leader for bearing his trauma with smiles.
The Committee, in my opinion, should comprise of:
1). A nominee by the governor,
eg: the Deputy Governor or
Chairman Advisory Council;
2). State Chairman, Party;
3). A representative of the
South West pdp exco;
4). BoT Member from Oyo state
to serve as Chairman of the
Committee:
5). Any notable women
representative
6). 2 representatives of leaders
and elders of the party.
While I am pessimistic about the outcome of the reports of the Reconciliation Committee as set up, kudos must be given to some of us on social media who have refused to be quiet in the face of tyranny. Special mention must be made of Chief Bisi Olopoeyan whose outburst in the dailies served as the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
We need a functional PDP in Oyo state if truly we are genuinely interested in the survival of the Oyo state PDP in 2023 and beyond.
Hon. Tunde Salawu is a chieftain of PDP from Otu, Itesiwaju LGA – Oyo State
