A former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has said the outcome of the zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West will be negative and may affect the future of the party in the zone.
The opposition party had earlier planned to hold the zonal congress in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, but later changed the venue to Osogbo, Osun State.
Despite the party’s effort to reconcile warring parties across the country through its reconciliation committee led by the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo and former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose, have been fighting over the control of the party in the zone.
Commenting on the development, Okupe, who had few weeks ago declared to contest of the office of the President in 2023, said neither Fayose nor Makinde is qualified to lead the party in the zone.
THE PDP SW CONGRESS.
The final Straw.
The die is cast and barring a Divine intervention, an amicable settlement between Gov Makinde and fmr gov fayose, is an impossibility.
Several attempts have been made by leaders and elders at the zonal level.— Doyin (@doyinokupe) April 11, 2021
Okupe, in a series of tweets, also predicted that there’ll be no ‘real winners’ in the zonal congress.
“The final Straw. The die is cast and barring a Divine intervention, an amicable settlement between Governor Makinde and former governor Fayose, is an impossibility. Several attempts have been made by leaders and elders at the zonal level.
“Efforts were also made directly by the national secretariat and indirectly by the indefatigable Bukola Saraki’s reconciliation committee. All to know avail. This in itself is a strange phenomenon.
“The doctrine I learnt in my 40yrs sojourn in politics is that … no matter the problem between two or more groups, as long as the problem is strictly political, it is resolvable through consultation, negotiation and compromise..
“The working tools of an astute politician are: oratory, ability to communicate and convince others effectively, negotiating skill, readiness to arrive at a compromise, wisdom, tact, flexibility, patience and a benevolent spirit. NOT confrontation and rigidity or obduracy.
“Strangely in Yoruba land, even issues of infidelity and adultery, which are very touchy and extremely trying, are discussed and settled between husbands, wives and offending partners!!!
“Governor Seyi Makinde and Fayose are contending the leadership of the party in the southwest. A position which neither of them is qualified to hold, but for aberrant development in our polity.
“It was former President Obasanjo, who because he did not want his administration to be bogged down with petty issues from the states, empowered the state governors to be leaders of the party in their respective states and zones.
“This was a privilege enjoyed by former governor Fayose to the fullest in his time. And until the proviso is annulled Governor Makinde ought to have the honour of being the official leader of the party in the SW currently. This “proviso” though an obvious absurdity, still stands.
“I call it an absurdity because it will be unthinkable for example, for a Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to say he is leader of APC in Lagos, official or unofficial. But let’s rest this argument here..
“As for governor Makinde, his attempts to destabilise establish state party structures in order to establish his control and leadership, is wrong and this has created unnecessary enemies for him within the zone even among those who were not opposed to his leadership.
“In tomorrow’s congress, there will be no real winners. The outcome of tomorrow’s congress will cause a permanent schism in the SW PDP which may seriously affect the future of the party adversely in the zone in the nearest future.
“We as a people always refuse to learn from history. The dichotomy and lack of consensus in Yoruba land today can be traced to the sowing of the seed of discord during the Awolowo/Akintola conflict.
“But those who fail to learn from history will themselves become lessons in history. And as the saying goes “those who the gods must destroy, will firstly be made mad.” THOSE WHO HAVE EARS LET THEM HEAR.” he submitted.
Daily Trust reports that while the PDP succeeded in electing 23 officials that will pilot the affairs of the party in North-Central at its congress held in Makurdi, Benue State, the North-West Zonal Congress held in Kaduna was disrupted by thugs midway into the voting process by delegates from the seven states of region.
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