A very senior Member of the BoT who is also from the South West,found the statement by one of their own-Chief Ebenezer Babatope- to the effect that the South West had declared for a particular candidate mischievous and potentially dangerous,especially since it was total fallacy.“Where and when did such a meeting take place?Who and who were present?Under what conditions was a single aspirant qualified that we have all decided for him?”,he quipped angrily.“People should speak responsibly,especially high-ranking members of the party. Imagine Chief Babatope saying things like that! Those are statements capable of causing disaffection in the party,especially during this cautious times. Chief Babatope completely loses his dignity when matters relate to his principal,Chief Bode George. Many of us remember last year when we were preparing for the Port Harcourt convention.He sat with a few people in Akure where stakeholders of the party were prevented from attending,and announced that the party in the South West had endorsed Bode George,whereas nothing like that had happened”.The ranking Member of the PDP BoT from the South West,who craves anonymity for the moment continued: “Some of us have decided to propose that Chief Babatope be cautioned at the BoT meeting this Wednesday 13th September.If was allowed to continue like this, that man would force the party back to Egypt”,he concluded.
Olusola Fabiyi’s piece on the impending National Convention of the PDP and the gladiators for the National Chairmanship come December 9 in the Punch of September 11,2017 is a bit of an eye-opener to how some party leaders -especially elders from the South West- have contributed to the problems of the PDP.
In an era where the party was only recently liberated from the shackles of imposition from a section of the leaders of the party which led to a 23-month sojourn in the wasteland of instability, one would think it would appeal to most to demonstrate responsibility by behaving in a manner that that promotes decorum and hope for the future of the party. Fabiyi’s piece is worrisome in many respects to any devoted party man. In the first instance, there was a hint that some aspirants are emerging from out of the zoning formula for the National Chairman of the party, which has been allocated to the South West. That in itself is indiscipline, and a flouting of party agreements. Definitely one of the core reasons why the party nearly disintegrated between 2015-2017. Aspirants should only be welcome from the catchment areas for various offices of the party. Secondly,there was an insinuation that certain elements who are not even from the catchment areas are being sponsored by some interests, against the party agreements regarding zoning.Everybody with the interest of the party at heart should desist from the very idea, and do everything humanly possible to make such a scheme crumble.Most worrisome of all is the title of Olusola Fabiyi’s reportage, suggesting a potential division in the ranks of the BoT, the highest organ of the party. That very notion is mischievous and certainly designed to serve the purpose of an aspirant. On reading the piece, prompt and furious efforts were made to reach several Members of the Board of Trustees of the party. To a man, they declared there was not a whiff of division amongst them. It was to be understood that no aspirant was endorsed and there would be provided a level-playing field for all aspirants from the catchment area.
To every party member it should be clear that this is not the time to dance dangerously near an open flame that could consume the party once again. Even Nigerians who may not be members of the party should support correct behaviour within the party and pray for internal democracy therein. We must all remember that without a viable opposition, power would be absolute with the government in power.For as we all know, power corrupts; but absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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