The Lagos State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has said, on Saturday, that it was endorsing Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as the leader of the Party in the South West.
The leaders of the Lagos PDP made the declaration after a meeting with Governor Makinde in Ibadan, saying they were highly appreciative of the outstanding role the Governor has played in the life of the Party and pledged their unflinching loyalty to his exemplary leadership style in the South West PDP.
The Deputy Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Alhaji Waliu Hassan, and a former House of Representative member, Hon. Rita Orji, who spoke to newsmen shortly after a stakeholders meeting held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, asked the Governor to continue his leadership role and never to relent in showing leadership.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, quoted the party leaders as saying that members of the PDP in Lagos have agreed to continually resolve their crisis amicably so as to ensure that the Party takes over the baton of leadership come 2023.
The duo said: “We can tell you that the Governor does not want anything from us. He, as the Chief Security Officer of Oyo State, needs nothing from the Party, rather we are the ones who came all the way from Lagos, to plead with him to keep leading the Party. We resolved to, irrespective of any rancor, move the party forward and we will ensure that the Party takes its better seat in 2023.”
The leaders noted that all the PDP members in Lagos State have restated their commitment to Governor Seyi Makinde and promised to stand by him anywhere he is going on the issue of the South West, noting that the full structure of the Lagos PDP Executive, including 12 out of 19 Executive Council members, all the 17 non-working Committee members, the Deputy Chairman and the Secretary/Legal Adviser, attended the meeting.
On his part, the Caretaker Zonal Chairman of the Party, Dayo Ogungbenro, affirmed that Governor Makinde remains the undisputed leader of the Party in the Zone, calling on other leaders like Ayodele Fayose and others to rally round Makinde, with a view to forming a formidable Party for future elections.
Nnenna.O
