South-west PDP crisis: Oyinlola to head reconciliation committee

The south-west zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun state, as chairman of a five-man reconciliation committee it set up to bring together  “aggrieved factions”  of the party in the zone.

Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, broke the news in a statement on Thursday.

The statement said the decision was taken when party leaders met at the Oyo state government house, Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

Adisa said after the meeting, Dayo Ogungbenro, acting national vice-chairman of the PDP, south-west, issued a communique.

“PDP South-West zone also resolved at the meeting that all zonal executives position of the party should be zoned to the South-West,” the communique read.

“The meeting, which was presided over by the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, FNSE, discussed the need for unity and cohesion in the Party in our geopolitical zone and across the country and the need to exercise caution on the proposed move to clampdown on social media by the All Progressives Congress (APC-led) Federal Government.

“After a careful appraisal of the political developments in the South-West, the urgent need to unite the PDP in the geopolitical zone and to ensure that all aggrieved members come together to build a great Party, we do hereby resolve as follow:

“That a 5-man Committee be set up to reconcile all aggrieved and warring factions in the South-West PDP in order to bring about peace and unity in the Party.

“The Committee is to be chaired by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, with Chief Saka Balogun, Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru and Barr. Olayinka Kukoyi as members.
“That the 10 Zonal Executive Posts be zoned to all states of the South-West as follow: Zonal Chairman (Oyo State), Zonal Secretary (Lagos State), Zonal Publicity Secretary (Ekiti State), Zonal Organising Secretary (Ondo State), Zonal Financial Secretary (Osun State), Zonal Youth Leader (Osun State), Zonal Legal Officer (Ogun State), Zonal Treasurer (Ogun State), Zonal Women Leader (Oyo State) and Zonal Auditor (Lagos State).

“The meeting also resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, additional slots of ex-officio members be given to Ekiti and Ondo states in view of the fact that they would occupy only one office each in the zone.”

The PDP leaders also called on the federal government and the national assembly not to go-ahead with the proposed clampdown on social media, saying the move will infringe on freedom of expression.