Ahead PDP convention, S’West insists on producing nat’l chairman

As the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, prepares for it national convention billed for May 21 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital,  the South West zone of the party, has insisted on producing the national chairman of the party.

The zonal PDP, which held an extra-ordinary summit on Thursday, said its insistence is borne out of its belief in equity and fairness.

The leaders, who gathered at the Summit included  former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George; former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Erelu Obada; Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja; former House of Representatives Leader, Mulikat Akande- Adeola; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Dr. Doyin Okupe, among others.

The South West PDP leaders also insisted that the zone was well prepared for the position.

A 14-point communiqué read by Chief Olateru Olagbegi, said the South West zone was equally well qualified to lead the party, “given our rich antecedents of history, knowledge and culture”, and resolved to send a powerful delegation of “Yoruba people to demand for the position of the chairman of the PDP.”

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Faulting a group led Senator Buruji Kashamu, which said the South West was not interested in the national chairmanship of the PDP, they said, “those who renounce the position of the National Chairmanship of our party, do not speak for the Yoruba people., adding that the region would no longer be relegated to the background adding that they will not be treated as orphans within the PDP.

In his address at the summit, Chief Olabode George, said it was time the national chairmanship of the party came to the South West zone, contending that the zone had a lot of qualified party men that could occupy the seat.

George said: “We will never accept a situation where the Yoruba people are shoved aside to play a subservient, insignificant role in the restructuring and the remoulding of our party.”

“There have been some nauseating, and very disturbing noise from some peripheral and provincial characters who claim to speak for our people. That is not true. How can any well-meaning Omoluabi say that our people don’t deserve the chairman position of our party? It is unheard of! It is almost tantamount to cultural treachery. It is sad and sickening. It is absolutely improper and immoral.”

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