The Southwest chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said it was committed to finding a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the Lagos State chapter of the party in order to reposition it ahead of 2023 election.
The Lagos PDP is currently enmeshed in factional crisis, which has become subject of litigation between two chairmen, namely; Dominic and Deji Doherty.
Dominic is being backed by a group led by Olabode George while Doherty enjoys the backing of the national leadership of PDP.
National vice-chairman of the party, Eddy Olafeso stated this while in a telephone interview with BDSUNDAY Friday, while reacting to the meeting by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former Delta State governor, James Ibori with Bode George and his faction members.
Olafeso said though there was an election which brought in Deji Doherty as the state chairman, that politics was about numbers, stressing that the zone was ready to resolve all issues that could lead to peace in the Lagos State chapter.
“We are aware of the meeting held at Bode George residence; we started the peace process two weeks ago. We appreciate Governor Makinde and James Ibori for their effort; we are just trying to make sure that we unite all groups in the state ahead of 2023 election. We don’t want anything that would set us back again,” Olafeso said.
The reconciliation meeting which was held at Lugard Street, Ikoyi, with George in attendance; a former Lagos State deputy governor, Kofoworola Buknor-Akerele; Remi Akitoye, Adegbola Dominic, among others and lasted for more than three hours.
Also in attendance were the former Minister of Transportation, Ebenezer Babatope and former governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Babatunde Gbadamosi, who recently defected to the PDP.
Speaking after the closed door parley, Makinde told newsmen that leaders that were in attendance were able to resolve some issues and made some progress.
Makinde said he and other leaders were in Lagos, which he described as crucial, to make the PDP work better, adding that the reconciliation talks were in progress to reach out to other faction of the party to achieve such goal.
According to him, “We were able to resolve some issues. It is pertinent to say the party has made some progress.
“You don’t jump the gun, it is one step after the other; it is one step at a time. Why we’ve come here this morning is to make our party work better. PDP in Lagos State is sacrosanct. It is like we are putting APC on notice that they need to be informed of what is coming to them in Lagos State,” Makinde said.
Also speaking, George lauded the meeting, saying that solutions to move the party forward were agreed upon despite the differences among stakeholders within the fold.
According to the party chieftain, who is also the Atona Oodua, the groups that met spoke brilliantly and solutions that would be worked upon proffered to move the party forward, saying that the PDP leadership would need the kind of wisdom applied by biblical Solomon in respect of the two women claiming ownership of same baby to resolve the matter on ground.
He expressed the hope that the crisis rocking the Lagos PDP chapter would be resolved based on the fact that the party was blessed with leaders and not emperors.
“We have the solution that we have all agreed on. Unless you want to deceive yourself, there will always be issues, but it will take the grace of the Almighty for you to be able to resolve whatever differences we have.
“And we spoke brilliantly; they spoke and we proffered solutions we would come out and accept so that we can work together,” he said.
Expressing hope on the reconciliation moves, George said he was confident that all issues would be resolved.
“It would work. Yes they erred, that’s why they went to him (Secondus) to come and talk to calm all the frayed nerves now because in the end, is there anybody that is infallible?
“That is the beauty of politics; we don’t have emperors in our party; we have leaders who consult and whatever is suggested here would be implemented.”
Gbadamosi, in his own remark, dismissed insinuations that his re-entry into PDP was being blocked by certain forces, even as he paid tributes to both George and Deji Doherty for efforts made to warmly welcome him into the fold.
“I think it is important to avoid the activities of rumour mongers. There would always be people out there who would always try to stir up and foment trouble.
“Doherty is a very good brother and a very good friend of mine and he invited me to the party. Chief Bode George also invited me. In fact, I came to see Chief Bode George and discussed with him. He welcomed me with open arms and said do the needful and I interpreted that to mean I needed to return home,” Gbadamosi said.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party in the state, Segun Adewale, has dismissed the meeting, saying that relative peace had returned to the party, hence no need for any emergency reconciliation as put together by the George’s camp.
In a statement to journalists at the weekend, a copy which was made available to BDSUNDAY, Adewale said that party members must understand that, George as an elder in the party, can host any dignitary, but the meeting held at his Lugard office, was not on behalf of the PDP, as nobody at the National level communicated to the state on any reconciliation committee or meeting
“The only reconciliation that is needed has been done by the Chief Ben Obi, Senator Biodun Olujimi and Engr. Muktar committee, who came to the state before the election in 2019.
“I understand that Chief Bode George is only trying to use Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) and Chief James Ibori to launder his image, therefore, to cause confusion amongst members that he is the authority in the state,” he said.
According to him, “Bode George is an elder, but what he has done is an affront on the power of the National leadership of the PDP, which should be meted with appropriate sanctions; his action is a calculated attempt to rubbish all the efforts of the National leadership that is working very hard to bring peace and stability to Lagos PDP, so that it can have a good outing in 2023.
“For those of us who understand Lagos politics to a large extent, the state cannot be won by just mere making noise in the media, but rigorous activities at the grassroots, which we have done before and will still do better again,” Adewale said.
Iniobong Iwok
