South-west Crisis: PDP moves to reconcile Fayose, Makinde

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has moved to reconcile Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and an ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

The move is to strengthen the party ahead of its South-west Zonal Congress, which was earlier slated for April 10.

Sources within the party also told PREMIUM TIMES that the PDP has postponed the congress until further notice.

“The leadership of the party met and they resolved that the best thing to do is to postpone the congress so that Mr Makinde and Mr Fasoye would be reconciled,” a top official of the party in Oyo State told our correspondent on Thursday.

A statement by the national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbodiyan, on Thursday also confirmed the move to reconcile the two leaders.

He was, however, silent on the postponement of the South-west Congress.

According to Mr Ologbodiyan, the NWC has scaled up processes for reconciliation and as it affects South-west zonal congress of the party.

He said the leadership resolved that “beyond the legal conundrum in our party’s formation in the zone, the PDP must win the South West.

“Consequent upon this, the NWC further resolved that a meeting comprising of the National Chairman, the Deputy National Chairman, the National Secretary, the Senator Bukola Saraki-led Reconciliation and Strategic Committee, Governor Seyi Makinde and former Governor Ayo Fayose, be held immediately for urgent resolution of all issues concerning the South West.

“The NWC will meet on the the outcome of this reconciliation meeting within the next 24 hours,” the statement read.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that there has been a feud rocking the PDP in the South-west for months following a leadership tussle between Messrs Fayose and Makinde.

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While some members of the party have argued that being the only governor of PDP in South-west, Mr Makinde should be regarded as the leader of the party in the zone, Mr Fayose objected, saying being a governor does not qualify Mr Makinde as his leader.

Mr Fayose also argued that a former Ondo State information commissioner, Eddy Olafeso, should be the next PDP National Vice Chairperson (South-west).

He claimed that an agreement was reached at Mr Makinde’s house at Ibadan, Oyo State. Although the Oyo State governor did not deny Mr Fayose’s position, he is believed to be lobbying for an Oyo indigene as the next National Vice Chairperson (South-west) of PDP.