Ogun PDP rules out sole financier ahead of 2027

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has ruled out a sole financier for the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections in the state.

The party has also begun moves to reconcile aggrieved members due to crisis that rocked the PDP over the 2023 election primaries.

The state chairman of the party, Sikirullaih Ogundele, while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, said the party must be funded by collective members of the party.

“We must not tie the success and the running of the party to one person, every member must have right to this party and if you want to have right you must invest in it,” Ogundele told the gathering.

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The meeting was attended by the deputy governorship candidate of PDP at the 2023 election, Abdulkabir Akinlade, former governorship aspirant, Jimi Lawal and former member of the House of Representatives, Adekoya Adesegun.

Akinlade who joined the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC), had accused the party of treating him and his loyalists as outcasts, while Lawal who dragged the party to court to challenge candidacy of Adebutu was later suspended for alleged anti-party activity.

He said the reconciliatory move became necessary to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ogundele said the reconciliation followed the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to admit and register new members into the party.

He directed all intending members to go back to their respective wards and attend meetings and get registered as provided by the constitution.

Ogundele said, “I have the mandate of the national organ of the party to call on all those who have left the party to come back, let us accommodate ourselves.

“We can’t be doing the same thing the way and expect a different result. We are starting a new leave in PDP today.

“The party must be funded by collective members of the party. We must not tie the success and the running of the party to one person, every member must have right to this party and if you want to have right you must invest in it.

“We are going to run this party the way it is supposed to be run. Every member here has right to contest for governor, you have right to aspire to be an exco, you have right to be anything in this party.

“The party must have a level playing ground for anybody to come and run for anything”.

Adesegun stressed the need for the restructuring of the party to promote unity and harmony among members.

“We must rejig the current leadership structure of the party to allow for equity and fairness. We must always insist on party supremacy, this is the only way PDP can be overcome its challenges”, he said.