2023: Makinde Hails PDP As Party Fixes Date for South-west Zonal Congress

Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde

has hailed the leadership of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level for re-affirming the date for the South-west Zonal Congress of the party.

Makinde who applaud the party's move in a statement on Friday said the decision of the National Working Committee of the party to go ahead with Saturday, April 10, as the congress date is commendable.

“As the only serving PDP governor in the Southwest and an invested party in the PDP’s growth and development, I commend the National Working Committee (NWC) for the decision to go ahead with the Southwest Congress.

“I am glad that they bowed to superior reasoning regarding the congress. I am also happy that the congress will be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in line with our party’s constitution and as stipulated in paragraph 8 (1) (g) of the Guidelines for the Conduct of Ward, LGA, State, Zonal Congresses and National Convention for the purpose of electing Party Executive Committees at all levels which were issued and signed in January 2020. We look forward to hosting other members of the Southwest PDP come April 10.”

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The governor, however, warned that any attempt to shift the South-west Congress’s date is a signal that the hierarchy has been compromised.

“Such an action would have dire consequences. For one thing, we will be forced to take all necessary measures to take back our party. Let me restate that the PDP is the best alternative for Nigerians.

"At this moment, we should be expanding our energies in positioning our party and gearing up for leadership at the national level. We must show Nigerians that we are the real deal,” he said.

Recall that there has been a feud rocking PDP in the South-west for months following the zone a leadership tussle between former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and Mr Makinde.

Some members of the party have argued that being the only governor of PDP in the South-west, Makinde should be regarded as the leader of the party in the zone, but Fayose objected, saying being a governor does not qualify Makinde as his leader.

Aside from the leadership crisis among them, Fayose claimed that former Ondo State Information Commissioner, Eddy Olafeso, should be the next PDP National Vice Chairperson (West).

He claimed that the agreement was reached at Makinde’s house at Ibadan, Oyo State. Although the Oyo State government did not deny  Fayose’s position, he is simply for an Oyo indigene as the next National Vice Chairperson (South-west) of PDP.

While some members are in support of Fayose’s candidate, others agreed with Mr Makinde that Oyo should produce National Vice Chairperson (South-west) of PDP.

However, the feud has been affecting the planned regional congress in the party, the duo has repeatedly insulted themselves on the pages of newspapers.