By Professor Tejumade Akitoye-Rhodes
The governor of Ọyọ State, Engineer Seyi Makinde brought to the public forum yesterday an ambiguous attempt by the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to halt and postpone the South-West Zonal Congress already scheduled for March 6th through a very dubious court process. There is apparently no smoke without fire.
The role of the legal adviser in a purported law suit that seeks to derail the congress is rather disingenuous, suspicious, offensive and in bad taste. If allowed to subsist, it will lay a very dangerous precedent that may eventually set the party itself on the path of implosion.
And why single out the South-West alone? This is totally unacceptable. It is an insult to the Yoruba people. It is an insult to Governor Makinde himself, who is the leader of the party in the South-West. If this charade is another way of telling the Yoruba people that they are not wanted in the PDP, they should note that no party can win the presidential election without a significant electoral input from the South-West.
We strongly advise the National Working Committee, NWC, to warn the legal adviser who is obviously playing an unveiled destabilizing role to desist forthwith.
The Peoples Democratic Party is currently facing all kinds of self-inflicted challenges from various quarters. The National Auditor recently accused the managers of the party of untidy book keeping. Sponsored factions are springing up virtually in all zones. The party platform appears wobbly, stripped of a firm, steadfast rudder. If the present managers feel overwhelmed and incapable of equitable leadership, it is our strong belief that they should step aside graciously for a National Caretaker Committee, whose vision and commitment will be predicated on instilling discipline, justice, fairness and sincere leadership to the party.
•Professor Akitoye-Rhodes is Chairman of The PDP Collectives and writes from Lagos.
