Pogrom in Oyo PDP: How Not To Grieve! Let’s Take The Fight To the Main Camp and Structure of The Party | Olajuwon ‘Bola

The gratified fall into two groups.  Those occupying government offices, elected and appointed. And those at the corridors of power milking in government patronages. Majority of the above knew little about what it costs for taking bullets for the party. They are people with deep pockets who could afford to take the risk on investment. Some are racketeers who, though not seen physically at campaigns, mobilised funds for the candidates. And immediately a government is formed, the racketeers positioned themselves well to push out any recalcitrant, belicose, boastful legacy member.

The aggreived are also classified into two.

Those legacy members who believed, and very strongly too, that they have some CLAIMS OVER THE GSM ADMINISTRATION. Majority of these are founding fathers of the party. Having not decamped to another party in their political sojourn, they believed, wrongly though, they are more superior than others. Even than Seyi Makinde, who is also a sojourner in the PDP.Their other aggreived colleagues are those who returned back into the party. They strongly believed and contributed well in the election that enthroned Seyi Makinde. The latter rain they are called. The latter rain also believed that they have a RIGHT to a SHARE in the administration of Makinde.

I, Olajuwon Abimbola Idowu, Lagelu LGA, like many others belong to the aggreived, the latter rain group that returned back into the PDP. We strongly believed in the candidacy of Seyi Makinde and contributed openly to the success of the PDP at the guber Election. We do not belong to the Coalition but Seyi Makinde. Personally, without the fear of being immodest, I have a right to a cut in Seyi’s administration. Yes, I am aggreived.

I joined the rebellion against Governor Seyi Makinde style of administration with the other aggreived, and even orchestrated our grieves to high heaven believing that it is intra party. And that within a short period, the major party stakeholders, elders and party leaders would find a truce. As things stand; Dr Saka Balogun Reconciliation Committee failed; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola Committee was another toothless Oputa; efforts by Chief Bode George yielded no fruit. The party returned from Oshogbo PDP South West Zonal Congress with bruises. Concerted efforts by Arapaja at Reconciliation created more suspicions. Battle lines were drawn resulting in parallel meetings and now a confrontational separate Party Secretariat. This isn’t HOW TO GRIEVE in a democracy.

When a Muslim on ablution washes the arm beyond the elbow, he is probably not preparing for sallat. Creating a separate party office aside Molete or planning parallel congresses is to me a defeatist approach. The failure of we the aggreived led by ex Governor Ayodele Fayose not to boycott the Oshogbo Congress was a bad strategy. The South West PDP Zonal Congress had boxed the aggreived into a tight spot difficult to admit. Expectedly, the Oyo state anti GSM members would feel much of the burns and brunts. If we the Oyo state PDP aggreived could survive the onslaught after the Oshogbo Congress, we should be ready to fight it out within the party structure and not outside the main structure. Founding and funding a counter confrontational office isn’t in my opinion the best way to be aggreived in a democracy. We are aggreived not the Niger Delta Avengers.

We were all witnesses to the Liberty and Adamasingba parallel Congresses of 2005.

I am aggreived and I am not going to pretend. I won’t encourage any parallel PDP meeting nor would I surrender to intimidations from the pro GSM. I, and I believe majority others do have the justification and capacity to fight this Seyi Makinde administration and juggle it into reality on ground. If they could, let the pro GSM occupy all the offices and let’s all await the end result.

The media announcement of a gubernatorial aspirant for PDP 2023 race in the person of one Chief Joshua Olukayode Popoola sweetened my heart. More aspirants for governorship, Senate, HoR, Assemblies should spring up amongst the aggreived. Let’s take the fight into the main camps and structure of the party. Let’s do better what those gratified government lackeys failed to do as accused. Aside from few fortunate members, very many are suffering in silence and waiting for someone as POJ to liberate them from the shackles of the Merchant of Ikolaba. The aggreived would need more of the likes of POJ rather than separate Secretariat confrontation.

And to the would-be aspirants. If you are not being funded by any oligarch hiding behind the aggreived. If you are genuinely PDP at heart, your hard earned fortune should not be squandered on frivolity of factionalising the PDP. Rather, expend your wealth to unite the gratified and aggreived members to remain under one strong umbrella. Never allow any aggreived or gratified leader to corner you away from others. Your ambition could only come to fulfilment under a united, strong, virile party..

Unless there is a sinister nocturnal motive by the leaders of the Aggrieved, not known to some of us, creation of a separate Secretariat is nothing but anti-party.

I am aggreived but shall continue to show my grieve within the umbrella party.