BAYO AGBOOLA writes that the crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state seems to have defied all peaceful overtures aimed at bringing the factions together but the stakeholders are not relenting
All is yet to be well in the Oyo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) months after the Senator Bukola Saraki-led National reconciliation Committee in August this year stormed the state to find lasting solution to the protracted factional crisis rocking the party in the state.
At the end of the meeting attended by some of the leaders from the two warring sides, Senator Saraki expressed the optimism of a possible end in sight to the lingering crisis, specifically mandating the two sides to, in the interest of the party, resolve the issues.
Saraki while speaking after separate in and joint parley with the PDP factional stakeholders in August said, “I think it is the beginning but we have started the process.
“The commitments have been made by the governor and the stakeholders. That has started and some steps have already been taken today. We are very confident that for coming out of it, definitely, there is a new dawn ahead of us here in Oyo state.
“The first thing everybody says is that we know that our governor is performing. On the area of governance, we are doing very well, they are all proud to be associated with the governor; they believe that there should be need for more recognition to some of the people that worked hard in the election and the governor has said, I am doing my best”, he said.
Continuing, the former Senate President said, “Those who have not been fully recognised will be fully recognised and they have all said once that is done by the governor, they are good to go and they are ready to work with him. So, it is just to start implementing those and rolling that down the line.
“The PDP is already a formidable party in Oyo state, in the South West. What we are trying to do here today is to consolidate on that and from there, we also want to move into the South West to ensure the PDP gets stronger.
He continued, “I am confident that with the calibre of people that have attended, the issues expressed, the issues are not issues that are not insurmountable and the governor has made that commitment and we all know that he is a man that will deliver by his performance and antecedents.
“And I think the country also understands that today if you look at what is happening in the other party, that the alternative for us in Nigeria today is this party, and they believe that this party is the platform that will provide that future for us in making Nigeria a better place.
“We are here as part of the National .
Reconciliation Strategy Committee assignment and we are very happy with what has transpired this afternoon here with the PDP family.
“All the parties have resolved to work very closely together under the leadership of our performing governor, Seyi Makinde and all the different areas of differences, we have all decided to put it aside and work towards ensuring that PDP is victorious not only in the state but at the national
“I want to commend all our stakeholders who have come, who have agreed that today is the beginning of a new chapter in Oyo state and also we want to thank our governor for his commitment as he said.
Earlier, Governor Seyi Makinde had said, “I am a beneficiary of what the party is doing and I hope that when I finish my own term too, people in PDP will continue to benefit from that. So, everyone is committed in ensuring that PDP continue to work and strive very strongly here in Oyo state”.
With these words at the committee’s meeting with the warring PDP factions, there is no doubt that the Chairman PDP National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Governor Seyi Makinde are committed to accomplishing the mission of returning the party to the path of peace.
Saraki’s peace move came months after an earlier reconciliation move by the PDP National Secretariat last August.
Defying the peace move, however, the warring sides organised parallel congresses with Governor Makinde pitching tent with one faction which held it’s congress at Lekan Salami stadium in Ibadan in October.
At the event, he said, “Today, we don’t have much to say. The only thing I will say is that those who said they are aggrieved can see what has happened here today, PDP belongs to all of us. They must come back and get integrated into the fold and we will accommodate them
The fresh row started again few days ago when Governor, Seyi Makinde while speaking at the state’s 2021 Christmas Carol of Nine Lessons, held at the Remembrance Arcade, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said he is determined to reconcile all contending interests within the PDP in the state as well as bring aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) to the Oyo PDP fold.
Makinde among other things appealed to aggrieved members of PDP in Oyo state to give room for reconciliation in the spirit of the Christmas and New year season.
After the sermon delivered by Pastor Femi Emmanuel, the governor said, “Part of the reasons for this season was that Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God and why can’t we reconcile the party members?
“So, I am using this opportunity, once again, to appeal to the aggrieved members of our party to give room for reconciliation in the spirit of this season. Also, the aggrieved members in the opposition party can also join us in the reconciliation process.
“This is your government; come and we will reconcile everybody. I also want to seek your further support for 2022. You may or may not be aware that 2022 is going to be a defining year, as it is the year that we will choose candidates in political parties for the 2023 elections.
“So, we have to intensify our prayers so that we will choose aright. For those of you who have not joined any political party, please do so, because direct primaries may likely be adopted, which means every one of you will have the right to vote in those political parties”.
To the aggrieved PDP leaders and members, “Governor Seyi Makinde seems to be buying time with his continuous proclamation of his purported of the readiness to reconcile all PDP members in Oyo state including those in the factional Oyo state PDP with nothing concrete coming out of such promises.”
The PDP factional Chairman, Hon Michael Okunlade while reacting to Makinde’s reconciliation statement said “it is now glaring that the governor is far from being sincere with the reconciliation of aggrieved PDP members in the state.
He added, “Makinde as the governor should do the needful and stop paying continuous lip service to reconciliation of aggrieved members. “Governor Makinde knows what to do, if truly he is interested in resolving crisis within the party in Oyo state. The constant emphasis on reconciliation of members by Seyi Makinde is an indication that he knows he had done wrong in the last three years.
“Why is Governor Makinde playing lip service to reconciliation of aggrieved members when he knew he was not ready for it. Many of us have achieved great feats in politics before he joined politics.
“We read the statement credited to the governor with surprise and shock. His guilty conscience showed in the statement he issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa.
“We advise him to do the needful rather than beating around the bush. It is laughable and sounded unserious for Governor Makinde to woo aggrieved APC members to his fold while he couldn’t resolve the crisis in his own party.
“We have never had it so bad in PDP since 1999 until we brought a stranger like Governor Makinde to fly the tickets of our party. Fortunately for us in the state, PDP members and indeed the people of the state are smarter than what the governor could imagine.”
With the foregoing in Oyo state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it is deduceable that it is not uhuru in the party. The gladiators seem to be hell bent on having their way while the party remains in tatters.
But what is agreeable to both sides is that the forthcoming 2023 general elections is at stake. There is also consensus that if the war of supremacy continues, the party’s popularity and acceptance will continue to nosedive and there is need to have a rethink in both camps.