The current crisis rocking the South-West zone of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsens on Friday as the former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose- led faction, in Lagos, announced the setting up of its own parallel reconciliation committee, to resolve the crisis within the zone.
It would be recalled that the party in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, met on Thursday and issued a communique, endorsed by Chief Dayo Ogungbenro, the PDP Acting vice chairman for the zone, in which it announced the constitution of a reconciliation committee, also for the purpose of uniting all the factional groups in the fold.
The Fayose- led group, which met in Ikeja area of the state, in its communique issued at the end of the parley, attended by leaders from across states in the zone, said the 6-member reconciliation committee headed by Engr Femi Babalola-was put in place in view of the fact that the party placed a high premium on solidarity and comradeship amidst the leadership and membership of PDP.
According to the PDP faction, the terms of references for the reconciliation committee shall include a reconciliation of thorny issues within the party, crisis settlement and all other sundry issues that may arise.
Other members of the committee are Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Barr. Ahmed Okandeji Mustapha, Chief Idowu Odeyemi and Chief Tunde Akindehin, while Prince Diran Odeyemi would act as its secretary.
“In view of the fact that we place a high premium on solidarity and comradeship amidst the leadership and membership of the party, we hereby set up a committee of six, with a member from all the states in the zone.
“Members are Engr Femi Babalola–Chairman, Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Barr Ahmed Okandeji Mustapha, Chief Idowu Odeyemi, Chief Tunde Akindehin, Prince Diran Odeyemi (Secretary).
“The Terms of References shall include a reconciliation of thorny issues within the party, crisis settlement and all other sundry issues that may arise,” the communique signed by Hon. Bisi Kolawole, Ekiti State chairman; Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele (Ogun), Engr Deji Doherty (Lagos) and Elder Sunday Akanfe (Deputy State Chairman Osun State PDP) said.
The faction also in the communique set up a 5- man committee headed by Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, charged with the responsibility to study, assess and identify factors responsible for what it termed “this unprecedented, woeful performance” in the just concluded Ondo State governorship election and submit its report within a month.
Other members of the panel are Hon. Mike Ogunlade, Dr Lere Oyewunmi, Otunba Femi Carena and Chief Mrs Mujidat Balogun.
“This panel must examine all issues relating to election planning, management and prosecution; identify all lapses and make useful recommendations to prevent such shoddy performances in the future,” the communique said.
The communique, while speaking on the panel, noted that: “That we note very sadly the abysmally woeful performance of the party in the last gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
“We declare that it is disappointing that we lost that election so colossally in a state where we won the Presidential Election, two Senators and three House of Representative seats in 2019.
“This loss runs contrary to the trend of recent success attained in such elections in (a) Oyo which we successfully won in 2019 (b) Osun which we won outstandingly but was irresponsibly hijacked by the APC controlled Federal Government through criminal abuse of privileges and (c) Ekiti that was hijacked.”
“Therefore, it is resolved that a Five man Panel is hereby set up to study, assess and identify factors responsible for this unprecedented woeful performance in Ondo State and submit its report within a month,” the communique added.
The Fayose group of the party, while frowning at attempts by a group of people that it said was “beginning to introduce intra-party violence within the zone, describing such as “ugly development which possesses the capability to destroy amity, unity and comradeship within the party” and which must be checked at once, encouraged the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP to take stringent actions against identified sponsors of such actions.
It, however, pledged to forward panel report detailing all incidences of violence and their sponsors to the NWC for further action.
The leaders, however, commended the efforts of the National Working Committee of the party “geared towards sustaining our great party and extending its frontiers across the nation,” even as they particularly congratulated the party national leadership for the victory in the last gubernatorial election in Edo State.
Others at the meeting, who were signatories to the communique, include Hon. Dayo Akintan, Hon. Mustapha Sikiru, Hon. Martins Abiloye, Prince Nekan Olagbegi, Mrs Funmi Ogun, Hon. Wahab Owokoniran and Mrs Fadeyi Ayo Awolowo.
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