Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, has vowed to ensure that all reactionary elements within the rank and file of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Southwest will be fought and defeated.
Makinde who is the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Southwest, also warned the National Working Committee of the party against postponing the zonal Congress of the party billed to hold on 6th March, 2021.
Makinde gave the warning during a press briefing held on Thursday at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Makinde noted that the party in the zone will explore all avenues that are legitimate to get everyone to do what is right for the party.
Speaking further, Governor Makinde affirmed that the PDP in the zone is ready to have a Congress that will produce the Zonal Executives that are acceptable to the majority of the people of the Southwest.
He noted that as the only PDP Governor in the zone, he has keen interest in the growth and development of the party.
Makinde, however, played down the possibility of having a parallel Congress.
He said:
“Politics is about conflict and conflict resolution. So, even in a particular family, everyone may not sleep and put their heads in the same direction but, within that diversity of ideas and opinions, you seek alignment and try to push in a positive direction. That is exactly what we will continue to do for our party and for our state and country. And if the National Working Committee decides to postpone the zonal congress for a reason that is acceptable to everybody, then we will work with them. But if they are toeing the path of ‘arrangee’, that would mean they are taking PDP back to an era that we should have forgotten about in this country.
“Let me also add that even if they do, there are some of us in that party that we are bent on taking the party to take its rightful position to get the party ready for leadership of the country. And we will fight those reactionary elements until they are defeated within the party.”
Reacting to the rift between himself and former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose, Makinde said:
“I do not really have anything to say about people because small minds actually talk about events, average minds talk about people. We want to talk about issues. So, if there are issues, we will address them and if some individuals decide to go low, we won’t follow them to that depth. Yes, an alternative conflict resolution mechanism exists within the PDP and that is being explored right now.”
