Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, on Thursday, threw his support for the aspiration of Hon. Taofeek Arapaja, gunning for the vice-chairmanship post of the party in the South-West zone, saying he knew him as a competent and devoted chieftain, willing and raring to serve with the best of intentions and with the best of motives, and would no doubt succeed if voted in.
George, who is also the Atona Oodua of the Source, said this when Arapaja, a former deputy governor of Oyo State, visited him at his Ikoyi office, with his entourage on campaign train to Lagos.
Arapaja, who happens to be the candidate of mainstream PDP in the zone had earlier led his campaign team to the party secretariat in Sogunle area of Ikeja, and accompanied by the party’s zonal caretaker chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro; Chief (Mrs.) Abosede Adedibu, Hon. Dare Adeleke, among others, where he rallied leaders and members’ support for his aspiration and the 2023 polls, which he tasked them to ensure they win for the party by uniting and forgiven the perceived wrongdoings on the part of fellow members.
George, who said it was with great pleasure to welcome him and all members of his team to Lagos State as he embarked on a very significant journey to lead the South-West zone, pleaded with all PDP members in the state to unite, noting that a divided house is a defeated one.
This was just as he identified those sabotaging the PDP in the state as ones working for a ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain for selfish interest, but warned that nothing anyone does would produce its result, but quickly added that given the quality leadership Arapaja was bringing to the table, all the six states in the zone, including Lagos would be won by PDP, come 2023.
“Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, my dear Aburo, it is my great pleasure to welcome you and all members of your team to Lagos State as you embark on a very significant journey to lead the Southwest zone as our National Vice-Chairman.
“The stakeholders and the elders of our party in Lagos State are all assembled here to hear from you the detailed visions, your ideals, your promptings and focus which will help redeem and rescue our party in the Southwest from the present wobbly, unstable platform.
“I know you are competent, devoted, willing and raring to serve with the best of intentions and with the best of motives. I have no doubt that you will succeed,” he said.
George, however, said it was important for him to give some advisories ahead of the zonal Congress and as someone who had served as the first National Vice Chairman of the zone and having graduated to the second-highest position of our party as the Deputy National Chairman.
He enjoined Arapaja to let the constitution of the party be his guide like a constant northern star when he got into office and must be fair and just in all his undertakings.
“Always allow the redeeming precedents of old to sharpen your bearing, to strengthen your vision, to give a fillip to your commitments and your mission.
“You must be totally resolved, stern, immovable about the principle of non-interference of external forces in the affairs of the Southwest.
“Whether it is the national organ or some extraneous states, none should be allowed to intrude upon the affairs of our zone.
“When disputes arise there are already established internal procedures that we use to solve our differences amicably. Let the states sort out their conflicts without intrusive actors. This is the paramount culture of our party.
“The decision of the zonal meeting on the zoning of offices remains sacred, sacrosanct, firm, absolutely irreversible because it is predicated on justice, fairness and truth.
“Adhere to the fairness doctrine in the conduct of primaries. Your leadership must be credible, straitlaced, equitable, sincere, thoughtful, genuine, true to yourself and to your God,” George counselled.
“I look forward to a zonal Congress which will be a celebration of brotherhood, which will be a triumphant carnival of love, of friendship and party solidarity. May the good Lord bless you, grant you wisdom, strengthen your path as you begin this journey of revival and the collective renewal of our moral compass,” he added.
Speaking, Arapaja, while acknowledging the leadership qualities of Chief George, in raising leaders, including the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and himself, among others, noted that winning Lagos, come 2023 was a huge task.
He, however, tasked George, who he described as face of the party in Lagos State to make winning Lagos for PDP one of his legacies, like Governor Makinde and himself, as well as several other leaders he had raised were.
“It demands a lot of sacrifice to win Lagos. Baba, I demand that you make it one of your legacies. Whatever you can do Baba, I know it is not easy,” he said.
“In your lifetime, I am praying too that Lagos will be won by PDP,” he added.
Addressing party chieftain earlier at the PDP secretariat, Hon. Arapaja appealed to leaders and members to bury their differences in the interest of the party in order to move the party forward.
Arapaja, who was received by party chieftain, including Prince Muiz Sodipe, Deacon Kolawole, Alhaji Segun Sowole, Alhaji Samsudeen Arobieke, Chief Taiwo Kuye, Alhaji Rahmon Owokoniran, Otunba Segun Adewale (Aeroland), among others, emphasised that it was only when the party was united that it can win election.
The party candidate, who pointedly said Nigerians were eargerly waiting to vote PDP into power, come 2023, argued that it when the party is in government, it could meet the needs and yearnings of the electorate and members of the party.
“So I have come here to appeal to you to unite. We should take power from these people, Nigerians are expecting us, all these things they (APC) are doing, ‘lori iro,’
“PDP is the only party belonging to the people. The economy is in bad shape, security is worse. Even at the backyard of Mr. President, there is banditry.
“We have not come here to play, whoever is not going to listen, we will beg. Please our leaders, we are your errand boys, what we want is result. I am your errand boy,” Arapaja said.
“Nigerians are ready now to vote for PDP, all we need to do is to reconcile.
“It is also time to win Lagos State,and take power to where it belongs. We gave them (APC) opportunity because we did not work as a team. Lagos State is of strategic importance, we need to win the state, we should rise above petty jealousy. The objective is to take power from those people and restructure the party.
“These people have their way because we are not united. Let us stop wasting our time, if you have executive council without being in government the executive council is useless. We are appealing to you, begging you to be united,” he added.
Speaking in the same vein, the chairman of the PDP caretaker committee in the South-West, Dayo Olugbenro, charged members of the Lagos State chapter of the party to forget their differences, and work as a team for its success.
The gathering which comprises of the party’s national delegates to the Congress, in their decision, unanimously adopted Arapaja as their consensus candidate for the post of National Vice Chairman South-West for the forthcoming zonal Congress.
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