Congress: South-west PDP Kicks against Alleged Imposition of Candidate

Ahead of the South-west zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for August 24, the zonal leadership of the party yesterday, raised the alarm over plans by the former Chairman of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Olabode George and the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (retd), to allegedly impose one Dele Okeya, as the national vice-chairman of the party in the zone.

In a statement by the Deputy Zonal Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee, Hon. Semiu Babatunde, the party alleged that "the duo had perfected plans to drop the name of the Chief of Staff to the president, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, with a view to achieving their aim of imposing a non-politician as the zonal vice-chairman.”

The statement added “they have already scheduled a meeting for Tuesday night in Abuja, where they intend to put perfect their plan.”

It added that the plot to draft Okeya into the race was informed by the assumption that since he (Okeya) was an in-law to Oghiadome, he would be supported by the presidency.

The party also alleged that Olubolade had been dropping the name of the president as having endorsed the plot “just like he has allegedly endorsed him for the governorship election in Ekiti State.”

The party said it was mobilising delegates against “any form of imposition”, just as it urged stakeholders to resist any attempt to manipulate the process.

“We are also delighted to note that Oghiadomhe has distanced himself from any plot to drag his in-law, who is a private businessman, into the politics of the South-west, using his name.
“We know that Oghiadomhe is at one with the presidency and the national leadership of the party that our people should freely choose their leaders without any coercion, imposition or manipulation,” the statement stated.

The party urged the delegates from the six states of the zone to be united and speak with one voice, “so that we can liberate ourselves from the profiteers of our commonwealth; people without any electoral value who have held us down over the years.”