Ekiti, Osun Polls Litmus Test For PDP — Chieftain

By Bolaji Buhari, Lagos

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said the upcoming governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states would serve as litmus test as it seeks to gain control of the entire South-West by 2019.

Chief Yemi Akinwonmi

The Deputy National Chairman of the Party (South), Chief Yemi Akinwonmi, made the disclosure at the PDP South West zonal stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

He said the party would do the essentials to ensure it recorded victory in the two states.

Akinwonmi said the South-West is an important political zone in the country, and the PDP would do everything possible to win the zone, come 2019.

“The South West used to be the political power house of the PDP as the party at one time controlled all the states except Lagos,” he said.

According to him, the party, unfortunately, now controls only one state in the entire zone, but will soon change that.

“We have perfected our strategy to reclaim the PDP in the zone. We are going to repeat the feat of 2003 when we were the dominant party here.

“We are going to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC), and by God’s grace, after from retaining Ekiti, we will win all the other states,” he said.

The Deputy National Chairman however said there was the need for all partymen in the zone to work together to ensure PDP did well in all the elections ahead.
He advised members to shun infighting, as the party needed to put its house in order to defeat the APC.

Akinwonmi commended the party’s Vice-Chairman (South-West), Dr Eddy Olafeso, for his efforts at growing the party in the zone.

He urged all members to support the zonal leader to actualise the party ‘s goals for the south-west.

The party chieftain said the National Working Committee(NWC)of the party, led by chairman, Prince Uche Secondus , would give the zone the needed support, for the party to achieve its goal in the South-West.

Olafeso, in his remarks, urged party members to close ranks and work for the progress of the PDP in the zone.

He expressed delight that the leadership tussle in zone had finally been resolved by the court of law.

“For 20 months we were in five courts on the leadership issue on the zone. We thank God that is resolved now.

“We are calling on the other party to join us to rebuild the party, as there is a space for them to play their role to strengthen our party,” he said.

Olafeso urged party members to eschew divisive actions in the party, noting that it lost the 2015 general election due to infighting.

The party’s zonal leader said he would do his best to lead the PDP to victory in South-West in 2019.

Olafeso explained that the essence of the meeting was for members in the zone interact in order to chart a new course for the party in the zone.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that other prominent members at the meeting include former ministers, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe and Mrs Erelu Obada.

A member of the party ‘s BOT, Mrs Aduke Maina, a former governorship candidate in. Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje and the lone PDP member in the state’s House of Assembly, Mr Dipo Oloruniwa were present.

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor- Akerele and a party chieftain in Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, were also at the meeting. (NAN)