2019 poll: PDP northern president divides party
– Southwest rejects PDP zoning of presidency to north
– The Southwest leaders say the Yoruba people had played a very significant role in the advancement and growth of the PDP
– They claim that the Yoruba people are being elbowed out of the leadership of the party
What can be regarded as a brewing crisis has been reported in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the zoning of the position of the presidency to the north in 2019.
According to This Day, the zoning formula policy took a new dimension on Thursday, April 21, when the Southwest leaders at a meeting in Lagos, rejected the move to zone both the presidential and party chairmanship to the north.
The Southwest leaders resolved that they would reject the move for a northern president and chairman in 2019, even though the position was endorsed by the two governors from the zone.
They insisted that the Yoruba people had played a very significant role in the advancement and growth of the party and nation, and that the PDP founding principle was based on equity and balance.
What can be regarded as a brewing crisis has been reported in PDP following the zoning of position of the presidency to the north in 2019.
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The leaders believe that the Yoruba people are being elbowed out of the leadership of the party.
The communiqué which was signed by Chief Olabode George on behalf of the leaders lamented that “the Yoruba people are being elbowed out of the power equation by the individual ambitions of some persons within the party.
“That the Yoruba people are being treated with contempt and irrelevance. But cried that “the Yoruba people will no longer tolerate nor accept the role of subservient player in the PDP,” adding that “the Yoruba people must now stand firm and reassert themselves.”
The statement further reads: “We must no longer be treated as orphans within the party. Those who renounce the position of the National Chairmanship of our party do not speak for the Yoruba people.
“The Southwest PDP insists on claiming the position of the National Chairman, based on equity and fairness. The Southwest is adequately prepared and well qualified to lead our great party, given our rich antecedents of history, knowledge and culture.
“That the Yoruba people will fight this good cause with determination, with fairness of purpose and with the formidable pursuit of the truth.”
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They therefore resoled to that “a powerful delegation of the Yoruba people should be mustered to demand for the position of the chairman of the party. The Yoruba people, must continue to uphold the truth, honor, integrity, selflessness and the Omoluabi culture. Being a democratic and liberal people, the Yoruba are however open further consultations and negotiations to sort out issues at the appropriate forum,” the communiqué concluded.
The meeting which was held at the Golden Gate Restaurant Ikoyi, Lagos was attended by party leaders including former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Senator Jumoke Akinjide, Dr. Doyin Okupe and Prof. Taoheed Ladoja among others.
The two Southwest governors of the party, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state were however conspicuously absent.
In what has been perceived as a tactical move to win power in 2019, the PDP two weeks ago, zoned the position of the presidency to the north, while the southeast will get the vice presidency ticket.
Apart from the position of the vice presidency, the southeast will also get the position of the national legal adviser, national treasurer and national youth leader.
By the arrangement of the PDP, the north apart from getting the position of the presidency will also retain the national chairman seat which at present is occupied by Ali Modu Sheriff.
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