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Former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Wole Oyelese, has accused the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, of fueling the crisis between Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde and former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose.
Makinde and Fayose have been at loggerheads over the leadership of the party in the South West.
Oyelese, who is a leader of the party in Oyo State, in a statement on Tuesday said that it appeared that Secondus was more concerned about his second term in office than bringing the party together.
While accusing Secondus of encouraging factions which was tearing the party down, the former minister said it was worrisome that the PDP national chairman was feeling unconcerned about the lingering crisis between the two leaders of the party in the South West.
He stated that apart from the crisis between Makinde and Fayose, there was no friendly atmosphere in any state chapter of the party in the region, saying this might make it impossible for the party to retain the only state it won during the 2019 election.
“There is hardly any state where there is amity among the members except in those areas where the leaders of the party are handling the situation with maturity. In this kind of situation, it is quite unimaginable that the chairman of the party will maintain such an undignified silence in the face of serious danger.
“It is daily becoming clear that the party is being torn apart by the same individuals who are expected to weld it together. The issue of party organisation does not appear to have much meaning to the chairman as he appears to take a special interest in encouraging factions.
“The situation we have in the South West which appears intractable is needless and should not be allowed to fester any further. The politics of survival and assertion currently going on is not in the best interest of the party as the loyal members stand to lose out.
“With the current position of things, there is hardly any state that the PDP can be sure of winning in the South West in upcoming elections. Political neophytes and dreamers may think and say otherwise, but the reality is stark enough to the discerning ones,” Oyelese added.
The former minister asked the national chairman of the party to reach out to the founding fathers of the party from the South West and seek their inputs on how to resolve the crisis.