Makanjuola leads S/West PDP leaders on visit to Bode George in Lagos

SOUTH West leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe on Monday in Lagos met behind closed door former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, reiterating that he remains the legally recognised PDP chairman in the zone and attempts to side-line his group “will contaminate the December 9 National Convention and render it a nullity.”

George is one of the aspirants gunning for the chairmanship of PDP in the coming national convention holding in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Ogundipe, who was accompanied by other members of his exco, including Otunba Femi Careena, said this while reading the communique of the parley at a press conference that took place at the office of Chief George on Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, immediately after the closed-door session.

According to the party chieftain, who admitted that the PDP in the South West had been in a state of flux, while citing the parallel meetings held last week in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by his group and another one led by Eddy Olafeso, which he said made Chief George, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo and other concerned notable leaders decide to wade in, said the council became imperative in order to avoid a situation where the zone would populate the coming national convention with mere crowd instead of delegates.

He, however, expressed delight that Chief George, upon hearing from both parties to the dispute and seeing all the relevant documents that were presented at Monday meeting, among others had since realised that the Olafeso group was fighting a needless and loss battle, even as he disclosed that George and other leaders had resolved to alert the PDP national leadership of the potential landmine that this could be if not properly and carefully handled.

Ogundipe maintained that the party he led in the zone was the only legally-sanctioned zonal exco that could participate in the forthcoming national convention and lead delegates from the South West to the event.

“In order not to take any step(s) that will contaminate the December 9 National Convention and render it a nullity, Chief George and other notable leaders of our party in the zone have resolved to alert the national leadership of our party to the potential landmine that this could be if not properly and carefully handled.

“Consequently, all our leaders have resolved to obey the Rule of Law and work within the ambits of the law. Soonest, an all-encompassing meeting of notable stakeholders inclusive of all the aspirants in the forthcoming convention shall be held to decide a united Yoruba position ahead of the National Convention.

“We also wish to reiterate that contrary to the erroneous impression being created by some opportunists, there is no part of the Supreme Court judgment on the national leadership tussle of our party that gives anyone the right to recognise a nullified zonal exco. It is like trying to wake up a dead man,” Ogundipe said.

Tribune Online learned that former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former chairmen of Lagos chapter of PDP, Hon Moshood Salvador and Captain Tunji Selle, among others were part of the crucial meeting.