Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has inaugurated the executive members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the Southwest.
At the inauguration ceremony, held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, the Governor asserted that the success of the Southwest Zonal Congress of the PDP was the beginning of the redemption of the country.
He said, “Nigerians are tired of all the mis-governance of APC at the national level. Is it insecurity? Is it economic meltdown? Is it aloofness of the entire leadership of government at the national level? Nigerians will not take that and we in the PDP, starting from the Southwest, are ready to provide leadership for our country.”
The new leadership of the Southwest PDP is headed by Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, who defeated Eddy Olafeso at the Zonal Congress held recently in Osogbo, the Osun State capital city.
Presenting his inaugural address, the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, said the cardinal mission of his tenure was to bring repositioning, progress and general well-being to the party.
Call to Service
He noted that his election as the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP in the present trying times was a call to service, as he knows the travails and plights of aspirants and contestants in the hands of bad party executives.
He said: “I know that the fortune of our party lies on the executives who are the umpire. Therefore, this newly elected executive shall strive hard and God being on our side, we shall leave no stone unturned in moving our party to greater heights.”
“We don’t need a soothsayer to know that all is not well with the party. In the recent past, PDP held sway in the southwest having gained control of five out of six states (Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti were all PDP states) while the central government also belonged to us. Today, PDP controls only Oyo State in the southwest,” Arapaja lamented.
He assured that he would reach out to aggrieved members of the party to return to the fold in the spirit of building a stronger and bigger party in the region.
Beginning Of ANew Nigeria
Speaking on the importance of the inauguration to the party in the zone, a chieftain of the party in Lagos State, Mr Wale Gomez said the inauguration was the beginning of a new Nigeria and an indication that the PDP is coming together as a family that is united in love and coming back to power.
Gomez said: “If you look at the congress, it was peaceful. Let me assure you that with the election, PDP is going to be a new party of love. Right now we are going to have reconciliation in every area and we are going to be one party. There will not be any more fight. I have taken it as a matter of concern to ensure that we keep our party as one in Lagos and I have gone to about 16 local government areas.”
Some of the leaders of the party in the zone at the inauguration include: member, PDP Board of Trustees, Dr Saka Balogun; wife of former Oyo State Governor, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja; Chairman, Oyo State Advisory Committee, Senator Hosea Agboola and Caretaker Chairman, South West PDP, Honourable Dayo Ogungbenro.
Others are, state chairmen: Hon Fatai Adams (Ondo); Chief Omokunmi Mustapha (Oyo), Mr Kehinde Odebunmi (Ekiti), Alhaji Waliu Hassan (Lagos); Barrister Yinka Kukoyi (Ogun) and Mr Soji Adagunodo (Osun), among others.
Confidence Okwuchi
