The move by the Lagos State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect members of the State Working Committee (SWC) through a consensus arrangement seems to have collapsed as delegates yesterday insisted on voting candidates of their choice.
The rescheduled Congress being held at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja GRA, witnessed heavy security deployment.
Delegates were thoroughly screened before being allowed into the hall.
But as the exercise was about to commence, there was a protest from some delegates who insisted on exercising their right to vote and rejected the consensus arrangement.
Our correspondent observed two different ‘Unity Lists’ being bandied around as consensus candidates’ lists.
One list has Dr. Amos Fawole from Surulere Local Government as the preferred Chairman while the other list has Phillip Olabode as Chairman
Daily Trust however reports that Dr. Fawole was earlier adopted as the consensus candidate during a meeting presided over by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State where the 39 offices were shared across all tendencies.
But following the insistence of delegates to vote candidates of their choice, the race was later thrown open by the Electoral Committee chaired by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
Diri, who spoke with newsmen at the venue of the congress, said the earlier planned consensus arrangement seems to have eluded the party.
He said, “As much as possible we would like to encourage some forms of consensus but as I said in my opening speech, if that is not done, as you can see, we will open the space for people to exercise their rights as members of the party.
“That’s exactly what is going on now. So they would determine those who would be their Chairman and every other office. But I would have loved a situation if the leaders of the party had agreed on some form of consensus candidates but that appears to have eluded them. The results of this Congress would determine their leaders.”
He assured that the party would be fair to all aspirants and members of the party.
As of the time of filing this report, five out of 20 local governments had cast their votes. They included Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alismosho, Amuwo-Odofin and Badagry.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rita Orji representing Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency however said the exercise would be conducted as a family affair while the party would emerge stronger and more united.
Members of the party’s Board of Trustees at the Congress include Hajia Aduke Maina, Chief (Mrs.) Kofo Bucknor-Akerele (former Deputy Governor); Dr. Remi Akitoye, among others.
