…Says he was the main force behind PDP
Top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others have described a founding member of the party, Dapo Sarumi as a worthy Nigerian, who has contributed much to nation development.
Speaking at the 80th Birthday Lecture of Sarumi, which held at number 1, Akilo Road, Agege on Wednesday, they all agreed that Sarumi followed the footsteps of the late Obafemi Awolowo and that he has mentored several people in politics.
While the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State in the 2023 elections Olajide Adediran aka Jandor, called for an annual leadership lecture in honour of Sarumi, a chieftain of the party, Wale Mogaji recalled how Sarumi worked hard for the success of the PDP in Lagos State.
Jandor said, in his message delivered by his Director of Media, Gbenga Ogunleye, that Sarumi is a foremost leader of the PDP in Lagos State and in Nigeria.
“There would not have been PDP without him. He has integrity and he has sacrificed personal interest for the group.
“He has a very high sense of decorum and he could never be caught fighting or doing anything contrary as a politician,” he said.
Mogaji said in his speech that Sarumi was selfless and that he has produced governors and presidents, adding that he did his best to make life better for the people as a politician unlike what he said is happening now.
Also speaking, a former chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Setonji Koshoedo, said that Sarumi laid a good path for other members of the PDP in Lagos State, when he was younger and that his legacies are there for others to follow.
These were corroborated by Otunba Bola Odebiyi, Dayo Kayode, Sunday Oyesina aka Babagana Kingibe and Olumide Israel.
The guest lecturer at the event, Dayo Kayode, delivered a lecture titled; Politics Of Survival Within The Contemporary Nigeria’s Political Lecture.”
Kayode said in his lecture that Nigerians now practise politics of survival.
He said that with this, the focus of the actors are laced with self preservation, acquisition of resources with impunity, Machiavellian political manoeuverings, uncouth political navigation towards any threat that can jeorpardise their political survival and holding on to positions of power.
“Essentially, they want to buy all available means to ensure their grip to power in challenging and uncertain circumstances.
“It will be pertinent at this juncture to have an overview of the embedded characteristics of such political actors.
“Political actors here are very versatile in dealing with emerging threats and situations.
“They are very capacious in redirecting their tactics and strategies to circumvent any coloration of shifting power dynamics, threats to their survival and emerging upsets.
“We can also observe actors here exhibiting an absolute personification of power whereby authorities are being centralised around them towards perpetuating their survival and maintaining total control on the political system, which invariably leads to authorisation with ultimate decimation of democratic institutions,” he said.
