Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that the maladministration of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not extend beyond 2023.
Makinde who spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the South-West PDP Zonal Executives, held at the Government House in Agodi, Ibadan, noted that Nigerians were already tired of the party and would kick it out of power at the 2023 polls.
In his words: “I was reading in the newspaper where a national leader of the APC said that the APC will be in power beyond 2023. I want to say it is a big lie.
“Nigerians are tired of the misgovernance of the APC at the national level. Is it insecurity? Is it economic meltdown? Is it the aloofness of the entire leadership of government?
“Is that what is giving them the assurance of continuing beyond 2023? No, Nigerians will not take that”, he added.
The governor charged the new executive members of PDP to bring aggrieved members back to the fold.
In a similar vein, the newly inaugurated Zonal Chairman of the party, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja declared that his mission is to ensure that the PDP wins all six states of the South West in coming elections.
Arapaja said his mission will be achieved by reconciling and uniting all members of the PDP and presenting candidates that will win forthcoming elections in South-West states.
Arapaja said: “The most important thing for me is winning the elections, not just being on the seat as Chairman of South-West zone. As such, reconciling and uniting our people and members and making sure that credible and acceptable candidate that can lead the party to victory are presented for elections shall be my hallmark.
“We have to go back to the winning ways. This time, not five out of six but the whole six shall be won for PDP. I shall dispense all weapons at my disposal to justify the confidence reposed in me by His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde, all leaders and delegates at the congress of April 12, 2021, and the entire members of PDP in the South-West zone.
“The wellness of the party, the unity of her members and ultimately her victory at polls shall be the concerns of this executive. We shall administer our roles and function with the fear of God.”
He attributed the downward slide of the PDP from a state that controlled five states to one state in the South West to “internal wrangling among members in the party, polarisation of party structure for selfish motives, too much love for monetary and pecuniary gains, extortion, imposition of weak and unpopular candidates over and above strong and accepted ones.”
“We don’t need a soothsayer to know that all is not well with the party. In the recent past, PDP held sway in the South West having gained control of five out of the six states (Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti were all PDP states) while the central government also belonged to us. Today, PDP only Oyo state in the South West.
Where did we go wrong? Where did we miss it? What brought our party to the state? These and lots more are questions that beg for answers. However, the reasons are not farfetched.
“Internal wrangling among members in the party, polarisation of party structure for selfish motives, too much love for monetary and pecuniary gains, extortion, imposition of weak and unpopular candidates over and above strong and accepted ones. All these and lots more have driven us to this state,” Arapaja added.
Present at the inauguration were other members of the newly elected South-West PDP zonal executive committee.
Others are a member of, PDP Board of Trustees, Dr Saka Balogun; wife of former Oyo governor, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja; Chairman, Oyo State Advisory Committee, Senator Hosea Agboola; Caretaker Chairman, South-West PDP, Honourable Dayo Ogungbenro.
Also present were Chairman, Ondo state PDP, Honourable Fatai Adams; Chairman, Oyo PDP, Chief Omokunmi Mustapha; Chairman, Ekiti PDP, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi; Chairman, Lagos PDP, Alhaji Waliu Hassan; Chairman, Ogun PDP, Barrister Yinka Kukuyi; Chairman, Osun PDP, Mr Soji Adagunodo.
