For a party that emerged from nowhere to dominate the region and then tether again towards extinction, the gathering of Southwest stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP last Saturday was markedly poignant.
Notable men and women of political power who directed the course of governance in the region now reduced to nothingness gathered at the OK Centre Abeokuta, Ogun State to mourn and reflect on their collective future. From the control of five of the six Southwest states, the PDP was last May reduced to the control of no state.
Its once dominant delegation to the National Assembly was equally nearly eviscerated. The party which boasted of the majority of the delegation to the National Assembly was after the election reduced to only one Senate seat and five seats in the House of Representatives.
It was thus not surprising that the majority of the members of the House of Representatives turned against the region when it came to the election of the Speaker of the House despite the initial zoning of the seat to the Southwest.
As early as 9:30 am last Saturday the venue was already crowded with party chieftains and supporters from the six states in the geo-political zone.
Leading the pack was President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose arrival attracted thunderous ovation.Also present were former governors on the party ticket Segun Oni (Ekiti), Olusegun Agagu (Ondo) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) all of whom were removed from office by the courts, former Minister of Works, Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Chief Tunji Olurin, Minister of State, Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Minister of Police Affairs Navy Captain Caleb(rtd), Chief Kemi Martins.
Also present were party elders like Dr. Oluyomi Finih, Mr. Setonji Kosheodo, Chief Richard Akinjide, Rafiu Jafojo, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo among others. Alhaji Bamaga Tukur a national chairmanship aspirant of the party from Adamawa State was also present obviously for networking.
Following the welcome address by the host chairman, Chief Dayo Soremi, the chairman of the party in Ogun State former President Obasanjo the ranking party member from the zone gave his address.
According to him, Athe speakership of the House of Representatives, which the constitution of the party zoned to the South – West, is our legitimate right that must be given back to us.
The National Secretaryship of the party being zoned to the South-West is not an issue because naturally it belongs to the zone,” the former President said as he pressed for the perceived injustice done to the region to be reversed.
While calling on party members to close ranks in the light of their disadvantages, he urged them “to accommodate genuine run-aways from the party, who want to come back, but cautioned that “those who deliberately destroyed the party in the past and did not show remorse should be avoided like a plague.
Continuing Obasanjo said, AAs much as I agree with the suggestions that we must allow those who had strayed to return to the party, I want to caution that we must not totally forget the past because evildoers will never rescind from their bad deeds.
As far as the former President is concerned, the party can survive without members, whom he alleged contributed to PDP’s electoral misfortune.
Obviously noting the party’s experience in the hands of former Governor Gbenga Daniel in the run up to the last elections, he said: “Those who misbehaved last year, if you say we should forgive them totally, they will do worse things next year. But those who have shown remorse should be allowed back into the party. But there are some that what they did was so bad that by the grace of God, I will never be in the same party with them for the rest of my life.
Like other speakers, who spoke after him, he identified absolute indiscipline and gross violation of the party’s constitution as the bane of the party’s downfall, adding that this was not the time to lament about the past, but to look forward for better party cohesion.
There is nothing new under the sun. In the past, we stumbled and regained our stand, today, we are going to regain our lost glory especially in the South West,Obasanjo added amid cheers and standing ovation.
However, the former President, who canvassed unity among Nigerians, also vowed that he would die serving the country, adding that at the political level, it would be through the PDP.
While admonishing supporters not to allow rumour-mongers to destroy the party, Obasanjo charged them to prepare for future elections in other states, saying that the day an election result is announced, preparations for another one begins.
The national vice-chairman, Oladipupo on his part traced the party’s poor fortunes in the region to lack of unity, internal democracy and indiscipline among some leaders and members of the party.
He specifically blamed former Governor Daniel for the crisis in Ogun State describing his activities ahead of the election as a gross display of anti-party recklessness.
He also regretted the activities of the former governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose whom he alleged collaborated with the opposition to ensure the loss of Ekiti state to other parties, during the re-run and even during the court processes.
Today, some people are calling for his return to the party. While I am not against his return, the truth has to be said that this young man was one of the strong party members who contributed to the party’s destruction in Ekiti.
The crises in Oyo and Lagos states which led to the Action Congress of Nigeria taking over just like in Ogun state during the governorship elections also attracted his attention calling for urgent steps to stop internal wrangling among party members.
The meeting, ended with a communiqué with delegates calling on Ministers to do more to unify the party in their respective states, especially in the states where elections will hold before 2015.
According to the communiqué jointly signed by National Vice Chairman South West and Zonal Secretary Messrs Tajudeen Oladipo and Oluwaropo Adesanya, the party, examined the nefarious activities of hoodlums who are doing all to subvert the security of our nation, especially with the recent suicide bombing in the UN Building in Abuja, the meeting examined critically the state of the Party in the Zone and lamented the woeful performance of the Party in the Last General elections.
It further observed that the low performance of the party arose from politics of exclusion by party leaders to the extent that some of our leaders were even playing god.”
The communiqué also cited “the personalization of the party structure at all levels by some party leaders’ indiscipline within the rank and file of the party, lack of Commitment and loyalty to the Party.
In addition, the communiqué suggested that Aany organization/party without strong discipline cannot move forward: in the light of this we urge all Party faithful to exercise strong discipline at all times. In the light of the above, the state chapters are urged to set up a standing reconciliation committee and the composition of which must be reported to the zone within two weeks of the meeting.
While commending what it described as the leading role of Obasanjo, it examined the stabilizing role being played by the former president in the zone and commended Babafor this.
Missing in action
Whereas it was expected that the meeting, would present a platform where all party members including those aggrieved would meet and perhaps close ranks, but it wasn’t, as most notable chieftains were absent.
This development, observers argued, is an indication that South West PDP is still polarised by crisis. Indeed, the predominance of chieftains, who are seen to be loyal to the ex-president, indicated that the hangover of pre-election rivalries among party leaders, is still obvious.
Notably, among absentee party leaders were ex-Speaker Dimeji Bankole and Daniel who absented themselves despite the fact the meeting was held in their territory in Ogun State.
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