The newly elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South West zone, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja has been officially inaugurated by Oyo State Governor and leader of the party in the region, Engr. Seyi Makinde.
Arapaja declared that his mission is to ensure that the PDP wins all six states of the South West in coming elections.
He made the declaration after he was inaugurated alongside other elected executive committee members of the PDP South West zone. The event was held at Oyo Government House, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
Arapaja said his mission will be achieved by reconciling and uniting all members of the PDP and presenting candidates that will win forthcoming elections in the South West states.
“The most important thing for me is winning the elections, not just being on the seat as Chairman of South West zone. As such, reconciling and uniting our people and members and making sure that credible and acceptable candidate that can lead the party to victory are presented for elections shall be my hallmark.
“We have to go back to the winning ways. This time, not five out of six but the whole six shall be won for PDP. I shall dispense all weapons at my disposal to justify the confidence reposed in me by His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde, all leaders and delegates at the congress of April 12, 2021 and the entire members of PDP in the South West zone.
“The wellness of the party, the unity of her members and ultimately her victory at polls shall be the concerns of this executive. We shall administer our roles and function with the fear of God.”
He attributed the downward slide of the PDP from a state that controlled five states to one state in the South West to “internal wrangling among members in the party, polarisation of party structure for selfish motives, too much love for monetary and pecuniary gains, extortion, imposition of weak and unpopular candidates over and above strong and accepted ones.”
“We don’t need a soothsayer to know that all is not well with the party. In the recent past, PDP held sway in the South West having gained control of five out of the six states (Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti were all PDP states) while the central government also belonged to us. Today, PDP only Oyo state in the South West.
Where did we go wrong? Where did we miss it? What brought our party to the state? These and lots more are questions that beg for answers. However, the reasons are not farfetched.
“Internal wrangling among members in the party, polarisation of party structure for selfish motives, too much love for monetary and pecuniary gains, extortion, imposition of weak and unpopular candidates over and above strong and accepted ones. All these and lots more have driven us to this state,” Arapaja added.
In his remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde avowed that PDP South West had got the right calibre of people as executive council members and was poised to provide leadership for the country.
Makinde said the South West PDP was set to take its rightful position beginning with winning the forthcoming Osun and Ekiti governorship elections.
He noted the party could not afford divisive, subversive elements in forthcoming elections hence charged the Arapaja led committee to reach out to aggrieved members.
With unity, he said the PDP will win all states of the South West and nationally.
Positing that Nigerians were tired of misgovernance by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde held that the presidency was there for the taking by the PDP.
In showing support for the task before the Arapaja led executive committee, Makinde said he will personally reach out to some aggrieved members of the PDP.
Present at the inauguration were other members of the newly elected South West PDP zonal executive committee.
Others are member, PDP Board of Trustees, Dr Saka Balogun; wife of former Oyo governor, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja; Chairman, Oyo State Advisory Committee, Senator Hosea Agboola; Caretaker Chairman, South West PDP, Honourable Dayo Ogungbenro.
Also present were Chairman, Ondo state PDP, Honourable Fatai Adams; Chairman, Oyo PDP, Chief Omokunmi Mustapha; Chairman, Ekiti PDP, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi; Chairman, Lagos PDP, Alhaji Waliu Hassan; Chairman, Ogun PDP, Barrister Yinka Kukuyi; Chairman, Osun PDP, Mr Soji Adagunodo.
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