PDP: S’west Leadership Affirms Seyi Makinde As Leader

….Urges Members To Shun Unauthorized Meetings

The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party in South West has thrown their weight behind the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, declaring him as the legally recognised leader of the party in the zone.

This was contained in a press release signed and made available to pressmen by Hon. Dayo Ogungbenoro, the chairman of the South West Caretaker Committee of the PDP.

The committee urged members and stakeholders of the PDP to shun illegal meeting and gathering capable of slowing fanning ember of discord within the Party.

The state reads in part: “it has come to the notice of the South West Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party that some leaders of the party from the zone met with the National Chairman of our Party, Prince Uche Secondus on behalf of the South West leadership.

“While we recognise the right of everyone to associate with the Party echelon, it is our belief that the constitution of our party, the order and the hierarchy in the Party did not recognize the composition of the people who claimed to have visited the National Chairman on behalf of the South West leadership.

“Therefore, even though we recognise the individuals and accord them due respect as some of our leaders, we wish to make it clear that they have no authority to act on behalf of the leadership of the Party in the zone given the position of the Constitution of our Party which stipulates that the South West Caretaker Committee and the Executive of the Party in the South West in that order reserve the power to call any meeting on behalf of the party in the South West.

“Having examined the development and the direction that it is heading to, we wish to urge former governor Ayodele Fayose to put the interest of the Party first and refrain from moves that could put the Party aspirations on the balance and hinder her progress. With his vast experiences and history, the former governor should know better and be seen as a leader of note.

“Against the above backdrop, it should be noted that a purported meeting being muted and scheduled to hold in Abeokuta today on behalf of the South West leadership of the party is in the same vain a self-serving and individualistic action which is wholly against the constitution of our Party. It is an attempt and a way to divide the PDP in the South West.

“To this end, we want to appeal to all leaders in the South West to disregard any meeting that is not at the instance of the Caretaker Committee of the party or, the Executives or the leader of the party in the zone; the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde as such meetings are not only illegal but also null and void.

“Furthermore, we enjoin all state chairmen from the zone to further x-ray the constitution of the party. It is our view that the Constitution is clear on who can call them to any meeting of the party and lead them in official capacity. Going forward, in line with our shared aspirations to reposition our great Party and entrench discipline, necessary actions will be take to curb any form of conducts that are likely to breach the Constitution of our Party if need be.

“In Addition, we are not unaware of some issues that need immediate attention of the Party and hereby assure all stakeholders that all hands are on deck and that we are going to resolve all issues amicably after the ongoing consultation. In due course, we shall call a meeting of the South West which will be announced by the South West Leadership and South West Executives and Working Committee of Party.

“Importantly and in totality too, again, the South West leadership agrees with the South West National Assembly Caucus and the South West leaders and BoT members that Governor Seyi Makinde is the leader of the party in the South West Zone and that all PDP issues in the Zone must be channelled through him as our leader in the South West Zone.”