South West PDP crisis deepens as Fayose’s faction sets up parallel reconciliation committee

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West worsened on Friday as the faction loyal to former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose announced the setting up of its own parallel reconciliation committee, to resolve the crisis within the zone.

The Fayose faction, which met in Ikeja area of Lagos State, in a communique issued at the end of the parley, attended by leaders from the six states in the zone, said the six-member reconciliation committee headed by Engr Femi Babalola was put in place because the party placed a high premium on solidarity and comradeship amidst the leadership and membership of PDP.

It would be recalled that some leaders of the party met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday and issued a communique, endorsed by Chief Dayo Ogungbenro, the PDP acting vice chairman for the zone, where it announced the constitution of a reconciliation committee, also for the purpose of uniting all the factional groups within the party.

But the Fayose faction said the terms of reference for its committee shall include a reconciliation of thorny issues within the party, crisis settlement and all other sundry issues that may arise.

Other members of the committee are Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi; Barr. Ahmed Okandeji Mustapha; Chief Idowu Odeyemi and Chief Tunde Akindehin, while Prince Diran Odeyemi would act as its secretary.

“The Terms of References shall include a reconciliation of thorny issues within the party, crisis settlement and all other sundry issues that may arise,” the communique said.signed by the PDP Chairmen Hon. Bisi Kolawole, Ekiti State chairman; Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele (Ogun); Engr Deji Doherty (Lagos) and Elder Sunday Akanfe (Deputy State Chairman Osun State PDP) said.

The faction also set up a five- man committee headed by Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, charged with the responsibility to study, assess and identify factors responsible for what it termed “this unprecedented, woeful performance” in the just concluded Ondo State governorship election and submit its report within a month.

Other members of the panel are Hon. Mike Ogunlade; Dr Lere Oyewunmi; Otunba Femi Carena and Chief Mrs Mujidat Balogun.

“This panel must examine all issues relating to election planning, management and prosecution; identify all lapses and make useful recommendations to prevent such shoddy performances in the future.

“That we note very sadly the abysmally woeful performance of the party in the last gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

“We declare that it is disappointing that we lost that election so colossally in a state where we won the Presidential Election, two Senators and three House of Representative seats in 2019.

“This loss runs contrary to the trend of recent success attained in such elections in (a) Oyo which we successfully won in 2019 (b) Osun which we won outstandingly but was irresponsibly hijacked by the APC controlled Federal Government through criminal abuse of privileges and (c) Ekiti that was hijacked.

“Therefore, it is resolved that a Five man Panel is hereby set up to study, assess and identify factors responsible for this unprecedented woeful performance in Ondo State and submit its report within a month,” the communique said.

The faction frowned at attempts by a group of people that it said was “beginning to introduce intra-party violence within the zone,” describing it as “ugly development which possesses the capability to destroy amity, unity and comradeship within the party and which must be checked at once.”

It encouraged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to take stringent actions against identified sponsors of such actions, pledging to forward the panel’s report detailing all incidences of violence and their sponsors to the NWC for further action .

They, however, commended the efforts of the NWC “geared towards sustaining our great party and extending its frontiers across the nation,” even as they particularly congratulated the national leadership of the party for the victory recorded in the last gubernatorial election in Edo State.

The communique was signed by the PDP Chairmen In Ekiti State, Hon. Bisi Kolawole; Ogun State, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele; Lagos State, Engr Deji Doherty and Osun State deputy chairman, Elder Sunday Akanfe.

Others at the meeting, who were signatories to the communique, include Hon. Dayo Akintan; Hon. Mustapha Sikiru; Hon. Martins Abiloye; Prince Nekan Olagbegi; Mrs Funmi Ogun; Hon. Wahab Owokoniran and Mrs Ayo Fadeyi- Awolowo.