We won’t allow Daniel step down for Dokpesi, says group

The Reformers, an interest group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, will not let go of his bid to lead the party based on the relationship with Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications.

In a statement issued on Saturday, The Reformers said Daniel cannot relinquish the ambition because it is beyond him.

The group advised Dokpesi to forget the alleged plan to convince Daniel to drop his ambition, and rather work with the former governor to restructure the opposition party.

“Otunba Gbenga Daniel is yet to announce his ambition, neither has he accepted nor declined our calls among several other stakeholders to join the party chairmanship contest, but we shall continue to impress it on him and all people of good conscience to make his emergence as PDP national chairman a reality,” read the statement signed by John Adenekan, a leader of the group.

“We reassure Nigerians and particularly members of the Peoples Democratic Party that consultations are ongoing among various interest lines in the party.

“We recognize and respect the longstanding friendship between High Chief Ramond Dokpesi and His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. We understand both have enjoyed a cordial relationship that spans beyond their political activities and their political interests cannot come in between their over four decades of friendship.

“We however affirm that Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s chairmanship ambition is beyond him to relinquish because he is carrying the aspiration of a whole lot people.

“We are deeply convinced that either of Otunba Gbenga Daniel and High Chief Raymond Dokpesi will make excellent leader in reorganizing the PDP and return sanity to the party, and their relationship can be complimentary towards revitalising the troubled party.

“In this regard, the visit of Chief Dokpesi to Otunba Gbenga Daniel should be seen as an effort to synergise on their bids for the national chairmanship of our great party, PDP which is what is greatly desired at this material time.

“As a matter of fact we envisage that more of such visits among leading chairmanship hopefuls will still occur in order to explore the opportunity for the best leadership that PDP craves for at this time.”