Ogun PDP factions present unified body to national secretariat

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday received a harmonised body of the Ogun state chapters of the party as the warring factions have agreed to sheath their swords.

The 12- year-old dispute in the state PDP came to an end with the Oladipo Adebutu and Senator Buruji Kasamu supporters closing ranks and agreeing to present a common front in future elections in the state.

Receiving the unified body at the party’s presidential campaign office, Legacy House in Abuja, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said the parley shows clearly that PDP has an internal conflict resolution mechanism to settle issues that have been lingering for a long time

The national chairman said it is clear that only the national body in conjunction with the state chapter that can conduct congresses, primaries and can submit list of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The law is very clear and anything contrary to that is against the law.

We are happy that our party in Ogun state has come together and we will give you all the support.

“You know PDP is the only well structured party; the best in the country and we will continue to build on that. We also charge members even from other partyies to join us to build the country. As you are aware, our nation is in crisis and it is only the PDP that can solve the problems,” said Secondus.

Lamenting the pathetic situation in the Ogun state PDP before now, the governorship candidate of the party in the state, Oladipo Adebutu said that “the party in Ogun state has been embroiled in conflict for 12 years.

“In these 12 years, we have had two parallel executives in the state that have not always worked together. This cumulated in a situation where in the last election when the party produced me as the candidate of the party, the other faction had another candidate. At the end of the day, unfortunately we lost the election woefully.

“I am happy today; it is my pleasure by the grace of God to now present to you the state working committee of the other faction.

Our own faction we have been at peace and we have been recognized by the national working committee of the party. And to the glory of God today, l am happy to present to you the secretary of the other faction of the PDP in the state by name Semiu Sodipo.

“Of the 14 state working committee members, one is still at loggerhead with us because he was a candidate in the last election. But, interestingly, out of the 13 that are left, 10 are presently very active within the PDP and have aligned with the decision of the PDP national headquarters.

Responding, the former factional PDP secretary, Semiu Sodipo said the crisis in Ogun state has really come to an end, adding that “I was part of the problem.

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I have been acting secretary from 2009 to 2010. I was the one who conducted one of the congresses in the 2011 elections.

“The problem started with the government; some of us were making some inaudible noise here and there. Later, we started raising our voice and it became audible and some of our leaders bought into it.

“And the crisis started gaining momentum until Senator Buruji Kashamu came in and said we can force what we want on the national. And we started it.

“But we have realized that controlling the structure, does not mean controlling the people. And it does not really translate to victory. We have conducted elections three times, 2011, 2014 and 2019 and nothing has come out of it.”