Ogundipe remains authentic chairman of South West PDP, says Bode George
Former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has said that only the South West leadership of the (PDP) led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe remain the authentic and legally recognised PDP leadership in the region and any attempt to sideline his group would nullify the forthcoming December 9 national convention of the party.
George who is one of the aspirants gunning for the chairmanship of the PDP in the coming national convention holding in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stated this while briefing the media after a closed door meeting with Ogundipe and his executive at his office on Lugard Avenue Ikoyi, Lagos.
Also speaking at the briefing, Ogundipe, who was accompanied by members of his executive, including Otunba Femi Carrena, admitted that the PDP in the South West had been in a state of flux,
while citing the parallel meetings held last week in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by his group and another one led by Eddy Olafeso, which he said made Chief George, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo
and other concerned notable leaders to decide to wade in, said the counsel became imperative in order to avoid a situation where the zone would populate the coming national convention with mere crowd instead of delegates.
He, however, expressed delight that Chief George, upon hearing from both parties to the dispute and seeing all the relevant documents that were presented at Monday meeting, among others had since realised that the Olafeso group was fighting a needless and loss battle,
even as he disclosed that George and other leaders had resolved to alert the PDP national leadership of the potential landmine that this could be if not properly and carefully handled.
Ogundipe maintained that the party he led in the zone was the only legally sanctioned zonal executive that could participate in the forthcoming national convention and lead delegates from the South West to the event.
“In order not to take any step(s) that will contaminate the December 9 National Convention and render it a nullity, Chief George and other notable leaders of our party in the zone have resolved to alert the national leadership of our party to the potential landmine that this could be if not properly and carefully handled.
“Consequently, all our leaders have resolved to obey the rule of law and work within the ambits of the law. Soonest, an all-encompassing meeting of notable stakeholders inclusive of all the aspirants in the forthcoming convention shall be held to decide a united Yoruba position ahead of the National Convention.
“We also wish to reiterate that contrary to the erroneous impression being created by some opportunists, there is no part of the Supreme Court judgement on the national leadership tussle of our party that gives anyone the right to recognise a nullified zonal exco. It is like trying to wake up a dead man,” Ogundipe said.
The meeting was attended by the former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former chairmen of Lagos chapter of PDP, Hon. Moshood Salvador and Captain Tunji Shelle, among others.
Iniobong Iwok
