PDP shuns Obasanjo, holds rally in Abeokuta

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday allegedly exempted former President Olusegun Obasanjo from its South West sensitisation tour held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The sensitisation tour was held at the state’s party secretariat less than 500 metres away from Obasanjo’s Hilltop residence in Abeokuta. President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Ayodele Fayose, governor-elect, Ekiti State, had led a political rally of party chieftains and members round the city, but without the former president being included in the programme.

Despite the influx of party chieftains, including Ishola Filani, South West national chairman; Fatai Adeyanju, national auditor; Bayo Dayo, state PDP chairman; Salmot Badru, ex-deputy governor; Buruji Kashamu, South West party financier, among others, in the South West, the former chairman, PDP board of trustees, was neither included nor mentioned throughout the programme.

Also present at the rally which caused heavy traffic of members and chieftains of the party from the six South West states were former state chairmen of the party, Joju Fadairo, Dayo Soremi and PDP governorship aspirants, including Kayode Amusan, former House of Reps member, Anthony Ojesina, Sikirulahi Ogundele as well as Abiodun Akinlade, House of Reps member who led other defectors to the party.

Speaking at the rally, President Jonathan’s representative, Ayodele Fayose, declared that the party would not go back to the era of imposition, which, he said, had done great disservice to its fortunes in recent past, assuring that Gbenga Daniel, Jubril Martins Kuye and other aggrieved chieftains would be pacified and are coming back to the party.

He also declared that the defected members to Labour Party were coming back, saying, “In Ogun State, I have one address. My address is the PDP. I am very close to Prince Buruji Kashamu and he knows and I have said it repeatedly that my address in Ogun State and South-West is the PDP. It will be a disservice to this party that gave me the opportunity of a second term if I come here and play games with your future.
“I am an advocate of no imposition. There should not be imposition in the PDP. And as many people that want to join this party will get waiver to join this party. We must allow as many people as they want to join this party, whether they were here and left and they want to come back, the party must grant you waiver to come back. The party must allow all of us to exercise our rights so that at the end of the day, we will win.
“Let me say this to you, it is useless and wasted effort when you run a battle in politics and you lose. Usually, it is winner takes it all. If this party wins, they take it away. I want us to win. We should allow a level-playing ground for everybody. We should work together as a team. Those in Labour Party will join us. I was with Otunba Daniel yesterday, I have spoken to him. I am going to meet our father, JMK.”