One of the leaders in Oyo state People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan has frowned at the ongoing selection process adopted by leadership of party in producing candidates for the upcoming local government election in the state.
Olopoeyan described the decision made by governor Seyi Makinde to set aside party primaries for selection of candidates as an handiwork of some his allies who are giving him wrong advices In order to safeguard their own personal interests.
He explained that, making a candidate selection in a party where there are many aspirants showing interest for a single position is an attempt to kill the morals of party members and moves to weaken the political party.
While reacting to the ongoing selection process at the state party office, Molete, Olopoeyan said that, most things happening in Oyo state People’s Democratic party nowadays are very strange to him and to core party leaders. He therefore called on the party National chairman, Chief Uche Secondus and NWC to intervene, so as to rescue the party in the state from the hands of naive politicians before it totally collapse.
According to Olopoeyan, he said : ” Many things happening now in Oyo state PDP are very strange , our people are just turning the constitution upside down, I didnt know if they are aware of the existence of our party constitution and it supremacy. Everything they are doing now always against the party constitution, and nobody is there to caution them, if we are not careful, we are going to loose all what we had laboured for in the party.
“Now am hearing they are attempting to select their anointed candidates for the local government election after many aspirants had bought forms, consulted elders, leaders, aligned and realigned, all in preparation for party primaries, so as to elect a candidate for the party,now some selfish leaders had gone to brainwash governor Seyi Makinde to adopt selection mode, without considering the bad consequences and the future of our party.
“Imagine what will be in the mind of a faithful party aspirant who had spent all his or her resources preparing for primary election and party just call him or her that they had chosen someone ahead of him or her with no tangible reason given.
“What will be the fate of those who collected loans to buy forms but not allowed to test their popularity in a free and fair primary elections? Does that mean they had squandered the borrowed money ? If the party going to refund them, will it be with interest ?
“Let them come with the yardstick they used for their selections, they should explain to us why their selected candidates in each of the 33 local government is better than others in the same local government after they all had paid for forms, screened at the party secretariat and given clearance certificate.
“Those who are in the affairs of Oyo PDP now are making mistakes every time because they dont study the party constitution and are not ready to accommodate party leaders who are with experience.
“It against the party constitution to select a candidate where there are many aspirants who had already obtained nomination forms. It is an act of cheating and suppression if you allowed a party members to spend their money in preparation for an election and later impose someone on them without a wide consultation and general agreement.
“They already knew their own anointed candidates will be selected but wasted the time and resources of others, is that not cheating ? It would have been better for them to tell people that the Oyo PDP needs money and ask for contribution rather than collecting money from poor party members especially the youths in the name of party primaries. All these their authoritarian activities in the party will destroy the party if continues.
Speaking further, Olopoeyan when asked why he did not lend his contribution as an experienced party man, he said, those selfish leaders he is talking of had already ganged up and turned against him, all because he is telling the trust about the party. He explained that, there are some sycophants close to governor Makinde who had blocked innocent party men and women from telling him the truth about the government and the party.
“Many of us are not happy the way those people in the affairs of Oyo state PDP are running it, there are people out there discrediting our effort in making PDP an unbeatable political party, when we were trying to expand our party tent and structure after wining the election, some leaders with questionable character got their way by turning governor Makinde mind away from the truths but, we will not relent, PDP is our party, we must make it great.
“But now, an urgent action must be made to restore the party glory in the state, things is not normal in Oyo state PDP, even state chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha is not in control anymore, I heard he was locked out at the party secretariat days ago, without any explanation. We just need to beg NWC under the chairmanship of Chief Uche Secondus to come to our rescue, PDP as a party is collapsing in Oyo state” . Olopoeyan concluded
