Posted by By Adedayo Aminu, Deputy Chief Sub-Editor on
THERE is hardly any chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) that is free of crisis. This has been the trend for quite some time. Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos are no exceptions.
THERE is hardly any chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) that is free of crisis. This has been the trend for quite some time. Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos are no exceptions. Must the crisis continue? On this, the National Vice-Chairman, South-West, Senator Yinka Omilani, says in as much it is not the best for now, efforts are being made to stern the tide.
Excerpts:
With the factionalisation of Ekiti Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the eventual suspension of Governor Ayo Fayose and others, what is the position of the party?
What they have done is illegal in the sense that you can't suspend the governor, deputy, chairman of a party without due process. It is illegal and indiscipline on the part of Chief Ojo Falegan and others. Why it was illegal again was that the purported meeting suspending these people was not held at the party's secretariat. It is like a judge giving judgment in the motor-park. It is not binding. In any case, in PDP, the governor is the leader of the party. The junior ones can't say they have expelled the leader. It is not justifiable and not accepted at all. And the party is going to look into this.
What are you going to do to stem the tide of the crisis in the state?
There is no smoke without fire. We will invite them to the zonal office here in Lagos and listen to why they have taken such action of executing a jungle law.
Also in Lagos, a faction of the party had equally suspended Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Minister of Works; what are you doing?
That was done in his ward and not in the entire Lagos State. What they did was to have expelled him. That is a preliminary to what is expected. Every decision of the party starts from the ward because you join the party at the ward level. What they found against the minister must first be heard by the local government chapter of the party, then the working committee of the state chapter. If the state can't handle it, it is then that the zonal office would step in . This is the procedure on the ground.
Have you got any official report from the state on the development?
No, no, it has not come to my level. I told you, the local chapter has to query the ward on why it had taken the decision first. It is after the local level cannot resolve it that it goes to the state. And I don't think it has gone beyond the local government. So it is not a national issue. They only maligned the minister by getting it published on the pages of newspapers. And we know the dissidents among them.
Coming to Oyo State, what are you doing to do to halt the feud between Governor Rasheed Ladoja and Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu?
What is going on there is being escalated. Moves are on to reconcile both parties. I have been having private meetings with both of them. Very soon, a reconciliatory body would be set up to bring the two of them together.
The Ekiti Deputy Governor was here on your invitation, how far have you gone over his case with Governor Fayose?
For every case, you should be given a fair trial. And so far so good, we are still talking.
Any positive signal?
Yes, based on the facts now made available, we would resolve it. I can't categorically tell you that we would solve the problem at one sitting, but the discussion was warm and cordial.
Are you still going to summon the governor?
Yes, we would find out from him what happened. It is after this that both of them would be summoned to Lagos.