PDP Convention: Fayose meets Bode George, Ladoja, others in Lagos,wants S/W to present single chairmanship aspirant

PDP Convention: Fayose meets Bode George, Ladoja, others in Lagos,

wants S/W to present single chairmanship aspirant

Ekiti State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential

hopeful, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has urged the party in the Southwest to

forge a common front and present a single candidate for the national

chairmanship position.

He said; "going to the national convention in disunity will not serve

the collective interest of the party in the Southwest zone."

Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New

Media, Lere Olayinka, quoted Governor Fayose as making this call on

Monday, in Lagos when he held a closed-door meeting with PDP national

chairmanship aspirants.

The meeting was attended by former Deputy National Chairman of the

party, Chief Olabode George; former Oyo State Governor, Senator

Rasheed Ladoja, former Minister of Communications, Chief Dapo Sarumi

and former PDP National Chairman (South-West), Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo

Former Ogun State governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, was unavoidably

absent as he sent his apology.

The meeting, which commenced around 9pm immediately after the arrival

of Chief George, who was accompanied by Chief Sarumi, among others,

lasted for over one hour.

Governor Fayose, who addressed newsmen after the meeting, said he was

desirous of having the PDP in the Southwest go to the convention as

united and indivisible entity as it could not afford to go into the

exercise as a divided entity.

The governor said; "It will be difficult for me to be going around

soliciting support for all the chairmanship aspirants. It is when we

are able to present one common aspirant that I can be able to stand

behind such aspirant and campaign round the country.

"Going to the convention without cohesion would not speak well of the

Southwest zone and the purpose of today's meeting is to start a

process of achieving a common front."

He, however, said those at the meeting agreed that it should be an

ongoing exercise and an all inclusive one where all stakeholders would

be invited.

Also speaking, Alhaji Oladipo described Governor Fayose as the

rallying point for the party in Southwest being the only PDP governor

and the chairman, PDP Governors' Forum in the country.

"He is a rallying point to make our position in the Southwest PDP

known in the coming convention.

"We endorse the calling of the meeting with all stakeholders in

attendance before the convention. It is our privilege to have him as

our governor and other stakeholders would be joining us before the

convention," Alhaji Oladipo said.

On his part, Chief Ladoja, who said he had now become a full-fledged

PDP member, having obtained his party membership card, disclosed that

he would publicly declare his chairmanship ambition by the end of the

week.

Chief George, in his remark, expressed support for the meeting,

saying: "I also endorse the meeting and it shows that all hope is

lost."

He said it should be clear that the Southwest PDP was not a rudderless

ship, exressing that at the end of the day, the intervention by

Governor Fayose would be a welcome development that would gladden the

heart of members.