PDP national chairmanship: Dokpesi’s visit causes stir in Osun PDP

The polarisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn in Osun State, on Saturday, when a chieftain of the party, contesting for its national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, paid a visit to a faction of the party in the state.

It will be recalled that the last state congress of the party produced two party executives led by Mr Soji Adagunodo and Dr Bayo Faforiji.

The PDP at the national  level had zoned the national chairmanship post to the South, and Dokpsei as one of the aspirants for the position was in Osun State to canvass for delegates’ votes ahead of the party’s national convention, slated to hold on August 17.

But, he only visited the faction led by Dr Faforiji at its party secretariat located along Gbongan-Ibadan expressway in Osogbo, the state capital.

The other faction, which has its secretariat along Otaefun in the outskirts of Osogbo had waited endlessly for Dokpsesi, who failed to show up for a reception to honour him.

Speaking on the development, the secretary of Adagunodo faction, Prince Bola Ajao, said “we are surprised that Chief Raymond Dokpsesi did not come to our party secretariat despite the fact that he had earlier forwarded a letter intimating us officially that he was coming.”

Meanwhile, Chief Dokpesi has promised to unite all warring factions in the PDP, restructure and rebuild the party if elected as the national chairman of the party.

Chief Dokpesi stated this on Friday night when he visited the Oyo State party secretariat at Molete, Ibadan, with his team.

The team, which was led by the former Chief Whip in the Senate, Senator Kasim Oyofo, also had Honourable Henry Duke Tenebe in attendance, among others, and was received at the party secretariat by the PDP Chairman, Oyo State, Mr Yinka Taiwo, some party leaders in the state and scores of party supporters.

In the same vein, a group of political leaders in Ekiti State, under the aegis of Ekiti Integrity Forum, has thrown its weight behind a former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran, as National Chairman of the PDP as the August 17 national convention of the party approaches.

Ekiti Integrity Forum’s support for Professor Adeniran, according to the spokesperson of the group, Chief Dayo Olanrewaju, out of the candidates vying for the exalted position, is necessary because the former minister stands out as a man of integrity, making him the most appropriate to reposition the party for greatness.