By James Sowole
The immediate past South West National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, has explained that the parallel South West Zonal meeting of the party was convened in Lagos, because a parallel meeting of the party was going on in Ibadan at the instance of Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde.
Olafeso, who gave the explanation yesterday, blamed the division in the PDP on the action of the Oyo State Governor.
The Ondo Chapter of the PDP is backing the Ibadan meeting while Olafeso and some other PDP chieftains in Ondo are in support of the PDP South West Zonal meeting that held in Lagos State at the instance of former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
Olafeso said the Lagos meeting was held because many leaders were not invited to the Ibadan meeting.
He said the party’s constitution made provisions for the number of persons to attend its zonal meeting.
Olafeso, who spoke to journalists in Akure, urged the Ondo chapter of the party not to make any attempt to further divide the party.
He, however, expressed optimism that the South West PDP would soon resolve its crisis
Olafeso warned that any attempt to begin to blackmail members of party in Ondo PDP to come up with trump up charges against his faction would be rebuffed.
He said: “There was a meeting in Ibadan and some of us were left behind. So, we decided to hold meeting in Lagos under the leadership of former Governor Fayose.
“What we want at this moment is for us to be united. I know that at the appointed time both Governor Seyi Makinde and former Governor Ayodele Fayose will sit at table of brotherhood on this matter and we should come together again. I hear a lot of rumours despite what happened in the governorship election that some people are gathering to suspend some of us and that we would not take part in the zonal congress. That would be wrong. What we need to find out is who has enough support to become members of the zonal congress.
“All they should look for is solution and not an attempt to further divide the party. Why a meeting was held in Ibadan and some people were left behind? There are constitutional provisions that give room for the number of persons that will attend a zonal meeting.
“There is no PDP party meeting I cannot attend in this country. It is not the Lagos meeting that is dividing the house. It is those people that met without recourse to the constitution that is creating problem. We are going to resolve it and the majority will carry the day. Congress will be held and winners will emerge and we will continue our journey of unification.”
