A leader and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Otunba Segun Adewale popularly known as Aeroland has called on the National leadership of the party that the next State Chairman must emerge through a credible process as stipulated in Section 47(6) of the party’s constitution, urging them to reject all those coming to lobby with names because it will further escalate the crisis in the State Chapter of the party.
He stated that the National leadership can clearly see that with different people including Chief Bode George, Dr. Eddy Olafefo, Chief Mrs Maina and others coming to fly different names (more than four) instead of one as agreed by the State Executive Committee is an invitation to a fresh crisis in the party,
Adewale said that this is the same method and pattern they have been using which has grounded the party since 1999 because they refused to allow those who can move the party forward to emerge, they have been destabilizing the party and that it is an affront for anyone to go against credible process of choosing a Chairman.
The State Executive committee (SEC) are the only people empowered to do so and not any leader, because such moves will amount to disregard for constituted authority. He however called on the State Executive Committee to rise to the occasion and take charge of their duties because they cannot be spoon fed all the time; urging them to call for an emergency meeting to decide who will be the next Chairman. He said, “must you request for approval to exercise your right as entrenched in the party constitutional”? Elect your Chairman now as you have been empowered by the constitution and send the name to the national for adoption and documentation.
Adewale said this over the weekend while interacting with some leaders in Ikeja, at a forum where discussions on finding lasting solutions to the crisis rocking the party in the State was tabled, he said members should be thankful that one of the problems deliberately stationed to destabilize the party by Chief Bode George has been sacked, referring to the immediate past Chairman, Dr Adegbola Dominic.
Dominic created so much problems for the party from the day a letter was issued to him to lead the party in Acting Capacity for just three months, which expired in December 2018. I still find it so difficult to understand why some people are still following them (Bode George camp), because these people have led the party astray since 1999, noting that anyone still following them is an enemy of PDP because they don’t mean well for the interest and progress of the party in Lagos State.
Those who are interested in the State Chairmanship must be ready to lead as team player, armed with required political experience and connections, and the ability to reform the party from the present ruin without being puppet to any self style godfather, because that is the only way the party can move forward in the State. We cannot afford to continue to reinforce failure in Lagos PDP again as we head to 2023, Adewale posited.
I am aware that some people have been running to the National headquarters to lobby with different names, this effort in futility is what has grounded the party in Lagos State because of refusal to follow what constitution says.
For avoidance of doubt and a reminder, here is what PDP Constitution says in replacing vacant position for a Chairman and to serve out the remaining part of the time of the original Chairman that created the vacancy:
Chapter Seven, Section 47(6) says” “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the Party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level (Lagos PDP State Executive Committee in this case) shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy”
The State Executive Committee (SEC) has been empowered by the above provision to do the needful, all those running from pillar to post should not create further confusion for the party because, if the right things are not done, the crisis in the party will continue and he (Adewale) will continue to be the Chairman of the party because his resolve to quit is based on the party allowing another Chairman to emerge through a credible and democratic process, he posited that his letter of appointment and court rulings are still valid.
There must be an end to reign and culture of impunity in Lagos PDP, those who feels that they can lobby and install a puppet to continue to defraud the party will be stopped by every mean possible until sanity and due process is allowed in the party in Lagos State, Adewale concluded.
