Chieftains of Lagos State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), including a member, party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Akinremi Akitoye, former deputy governor of Lagos State, Kofo Buknor-Akerele, Adegbola Dominic, among others on Tuesday affirmed Olabode George as the leader of the party in the state, just as they dismissed existence of any faction in the fold.
The leaders made the declaration at an emergency meeting of party stakeholders which took place at Ikoyi office of George, against the background of planned congress by some party members in alleged connivance with some politicians within the party headquarters to remove George as the leader of the party in the state and elect new officers.
They also disclosed that a court injunction had since been obtained stopping the planned congress of the chapter Wednesday with some PDP leaders such as Ben Obi, Biodun Olujimi, Jariga Agoro Jarigbe, Danladi Baidu Tuo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) named as defendants.
Justice T. A. O. Oyekan-Abdullahi of the Lagos High Court gave the order.
Addressing newsmen, Dominic, who is chairman of the party, dismissed any plan to remove Bode George as the leader of the party in the state.
According to him, “Today, we got the report that some people have been gathering to get Olabode George out of the way.
“These people are saying they are going to have election and this our leader, Olabode George, is not aware of it”.
Diminic, who acknowledged the leadership qualities in George to include his straight-forwardness, intelligence, openness, among others, said it was unfortunate that some members were trying to betray him, in spite of having benefitted from his large-heartedness.
The party chairman contended that the party had its rules and regulations and does not believe in groups and factions, stressing that it was based on this that aggrieved members had to go to court to stop those planning to organise the said election.
“We don’t believe in groups and factions. We have rules and regulations that must be followed. Some members have to go to court to stop the election and the court has granted our prayers, an injunction that the status quo must remain, and I remain the chairman of the party in the state,” Dominic added.
Speaking further, Dominic contended that leaders emerged naturally and only chairmen and others of party were chosen by elections, declaring that there was no way a party could exist without a leader.
“There is no way we would have a party without having a leader to lead the party. You can elect chairman and others but not leader.
“I don’t know which party would make success without a leader. I want to inform you that there is no problem in the party. We have no group, no faction,” he reiterated.
Also speaking, Akitoye decried the plan to hold congress by few members of the party, declared that the status quo remained not only at the state level but also at the local and ward levels in the state.
Former deputy governor in the state, Buknor-Akerele, also maintained that the party remained united under the leadership of George, saying that they were determined that the party remains vigorous in the state to enable it present a very strong opposition.
Former Minister of Transportation, Ebenezer Babatope, said sadly that the same plot to change party leadership in Lagos State was being attempted in Osun State to remove the party chairman, Soji Adagunodo.
Babatope said some ambitious party leaders at the PDP headquarters in Abuja are behind the plot, disclosing that they had even scheduled a meeting for Osogbo, the Osun State capital, where they wanted to pick who would come to officiate the aborted election in Lagos.
“I don’t want to wash our party’s dirty linen in the open; what they are planning in Lagos, they are also planning it in Osun State where I come from.
“Some over-ambitious elements in PDP are trying to do this,” he said, adding: “They are planning this same thing in other states.”
The former minister, however, saluted the Lagos PDP leaders and members for resisting the plot.
