The South-West chapter of the People’s Democratic Party has appealed to the national leadership of the party to abide with Port Harcourt zoning decision, which conceded National Chairmanship of the party to the South-West.
Leaders from the six states of the South-West region who met on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, urged all stakeholders from other zones to abide with the decision reached in Port Harcourt on May 21st 2016 during the party’s National Convention which conceded the chairmanship of the party to the South-west.
The leaders while urging stakeholders of the party from other zones to support their aspiration regretted that since the formation of the party in 1998, no person from the region has been allowed to occupy the position of national Chairman.
The leaders who noted that since 1998, about 12 people from other geo-political zones had headed the party, insisted that it was the turn of South West.
They, however, declared that for the party to boost its efforts in membership drive and support base in the region, there was a need for the region to produce the number one person in the former ruling party.
Zonal Chairman of the party, Dr. Eddy Olafeso who read the communiqué issued after the meeting urged the National Caretaker Committee of the party and other zonal leaders across the country to allow the zone to produce the Chairman of the party in the interest of fairness.
“Since the inception in 1998 till date, our party has had twelve National Chairmen in the following persons namely, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Solomon Lar, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Chief Audu Ogeh, Senator Ahmadu Alli, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Dr. Okwusileze Nwodo, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, Dr. Adamu Muazu, Prince Uche Secondus (Acting Chairman) and Senator Ahmed Makarfi (National Caretaker Committee Chairman).
“It is only the South West out of the six geo-political zones that has not held the position of the National Chairman despite the historic contributions of the zone to the development of the party.
“At the May 21st National Convention of the party held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in which the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee was set up and established, the National Chairmanship position was conceded to the South West consequent upon the speech of Dr. Peter Odili, the former governor of Rivers State.
“The position of the National Chairman of the party in the South West would boost efforts at membership drive of the party and party support base.
“The South West has consistently demonstrated capacity for swing votes historically from 1999 till date in all general elections.
“Now at the end of the meeting, the PDP South West leaders’ forum hereby resolved: To urge the party on the basis of the above premises to uphold the Port Harcourt decision zoning the National Chairmanship position of our great party to the South West,” the communiqué read in part.
Present at the meeting were Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Chief Olabode George, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, Senator Ademola Adeleke, Engineer Femi Babalola, Barrister Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli, Hon. Tunde Akogun, Hon. Demola Ojo, and Professor Yemi Farounbi.
Others are Engineer Seyi Makinde, Mr. Bunmi Jenyo, Alhaja Salmatu Badru, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, Chief Sarafadeen Ishola and Dr. Saka Balogun.
Also at the meeting were Senator Robert Koleosho, Alhaji Titi Oseni and Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
