Politics
Oyo: Deputy governor, PDP leaders angry over Makinde’s handling of party
Deputy governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan and the ex-majority leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Akande have stated that the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has isolated them in running the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
In a report seen by journalists in Ibadan, other aggrieved members include
former Minister of Power and Steel, Wole Oyelese; Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan, Alhaji Azim Gbolarumi as well as leaders of the party from Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun and Ibarapa zones.
According to the Peoples Democratic Party’s Elders Steering Committee’s report of meetings with leaders across the 33 local governments, the governor alledgedly administer the affairs of the party alone.
The report of the committee headed by Dr Saka Balogun, which had Mutiat Ladoja and Chief Jumoke Akinjide, among others as members went viral on Monday.
The report reads partly, “He (deputy governor) complained bitterly about being oblivious of the running of the government. He said the governor has completely forgotten about the promises he made to him during the election. He said that the governor has treated him in the most unfair, unjust and the unkind manner.”
The report maintained that PDP in Ibarapa East where the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin hails from has been rocked with crisis.
The report quoted Mulikat Adeola to have stated that she didn’t know the happenings in the party as Makinde has relegated her completely.
The report read, “She (Mulikat Adeola) feels that the governor has exalted Segun Ogunwuyi above her in Ogbomoso and that is detrimental to her numerous followers.
She wants to know why the governor only listens and gives access to only Senator Halleluyah.”
The media aide to the deputy governor, Mr Omolere Omoetan, when contacted to know if his principal made such complaint to the committee said he had not been able to speak with his boss to know if what he was quoted to have said was true.
The former majority leader did not respond to the inquiry sent to her by our correspondent.
However, one of the aggrieved party leaders, Olopoeyan, who alleged threat to his life in the report, said the governor had not done well at all.
Olopoeyan said the governor might be the one who circulated the report.
He said, “What is contained in the report is correct. That is what everybody said including the deputy governor. The committee went round and meet some selected leaders of the party and we bared our minds to them. The governor has. Not done well at all.”
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
Barrister Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general election, apprehensive of massive defection to the party urged defectors to go through legitimate route and due process.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokuta, Adebayo when he met with SDP members and executive members led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said the party is open to defectors, but they must do so legitimately.
Flanked by the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, the former presidential candidate allayed fears that defectors may hijack the party, stressing that the National Working Committee of SDP can only issue membership cards through the executive at the state levels.
He said, “People are counterfeiting naira, they are counterfeiting the dollar, they’re bringing counterfeit rice, and NAFDAC is chasing counterfeit drugs. Why are you surprised that there are counterfeit party cards? Especially if the party cards are carried by counterfeit politicians who have a history of doing counterfeiting in their former parties. So, we should forgive everybody, but this counterfeiting will not work in SDP.”
“We are not fighting anybody we are only saying ‘come to our house through the front door not through the ceiling or the window.’ That’s all. Everybody here joined the party legitimately, anybody coming will join legitimately”.
“We have spoken to the National Chairman and the NWC, he said there’s no counterfeiting of anything. Any card that’s not given through the state, LG and executives is not from the SDP. So, if they come, you will tell them to go away. Put your name in our register here and pay us here. We will get the card for you. That’s how it is”.
“They want to run faster than their legs. Secondly, you are hearing rumors that people are coming to our party, Awolowo is coming, Azikiwe is coming, Balewa, Ahmadu Bello is coming. Let’s see them. Nigerians know us and they know them.”
He ruled out any plan that SDP would merge or collaborate with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC or any political party ahead of 2027 general election.
According to him, SDP is committed to the well-being and welfare of Nigerians, while he ruled out insinuations that the party is an appendage of APC.
“Maybe APC has appendicitis; they should go to the hospital to kill it. We are a strong party. We are older than any of the parties available. Our mission is clear: we are not in government with them.
“I led the party in the last election. I’m still standing here. I’m not a minister under Tinubu; all the state chairman and the national chairman are intact, including the national secretary. So, we are standing on our own.
“The reason people look down on us is because we don’t attack people, but we tackle issues because our party is a party of intellect. We are the only party that’s a little to the left. Having been a little to the left since we came in 1989, we remain so.
“The problems of Nigeria can only be found with solutions on the left, which is that chapter two of the Constitution, invest money in education, in housing, in healthcare, good infrastructure, let Nigerians live what chief Obafemi Awolowo called a life more abundant,” he said.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
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