Oni, Oru emerge as PDP national vice-chairmen

Anger trailed the convention of the Peoples Democratic Party in the

South-West zone on Wednesday, in Osogbo, where a former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Segun Oni, emerged as National Vice-Chairman of the zone.

Just as South-West PDP picked Oni, the South-South chapter at its zonal convention in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, picked Chief Steven Oru from Delta State as the National Vice-Chairman.

But Oni’s emergence in the South-West was opposed by a former Chairman of the party in Ekiti State, Chief Ropo Adesanya.

Adesanya, who had come to the venue with his numerous supporters and apparently hoping to go into an election, was shocked when Oni’s name was announced as the party’s choice for the national vice chairmanship post.

Storming out of the venue when Oni’s name was announced, Adesanya told journalists, “I am not happy because I was not allowed to even contribute to the process.”

Adesanya, who said he had grudgingly accepted the verdict of the party, promised to remain a loyal party member, despite the unfavourably decision of the party.

In a show of annoyance, supporters of various contestants abused the leaders of the party after the convention, stressing that the party was yet to learn from the mistakes of the past.

A former officer of the PDP in the south-west, who spoke on anonymity said, “Why must we impose candidates on the party when everybody is prepared for an election?

“We can’t reclaim our lost glory in the South-West if we continue to engage in divisive tendencies that brought us to this pitiable junction.”

Alhaji Tunde Muhammad, had to defer the announcement of consensus candidates for some posts as several delegates shouted their disagreement when some names nominated names.

Several journalists who thronged the venue of the event were turned back by security operatives, who told them they were not invited.

In his post-election speech, Oni promised to lead a vibrant and robust South-West PDP to glory.

In order to harmonise the positions, Obasanjo had convened a meeting at the Osogbo residence of Oyinlola before the convention.

At the meeting held in Oyinlola’s house, Obasanjo urged members to embrace unity and peace, adding that the members needed to be selfless and committed to the ideals of the party.

In Port Harcourt,the PDP zonal congress went awry when two candidates emerged for the position of PDP youth leader of the zone.

The exercise had earlier gone without hitch as nine of the 10 available positions were filled through adoption and voice votes.

While the same strategy for election was expected in the PDP zonal youth leader, Mr. Francis Izuage from Edo State and Mr. Daniel Asuquo from Akwa Ibom State came out, a development, which surprised the party faithful that streamed the Port Harcourt for the event.

Worried by the situation, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, intervened in order to make peace reign and probably to assuage Asuquo’s feelings.

Within a few minutes, Asuquo announced that he was stepping down for Izuage, a decision that attracted an ovation from the crowd.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Chief Mike Oghiadomen, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the congress.

-Punchwp_posts