As the Olagunsoye Oyinlola led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Reconciliation Committee concludes it assignment in the South West, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Wednesday urged the National Working Committee ( NWC) of the party to ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the committee in order to put the party on a sound footing ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governor Makinde gave the charge while briefing newsmen at the Agodi Government House in Ibadan over the completion of Committee’s assignment.
The governor, however, warned of the dire consequences of not implementing the recommendations saying that the efforts of the committee might be in futility as it will return the party to “square one”
Governor Makinde who was represented by his Deputy , Barrister Bayo Lawal,
emphasized the importance of unity and collective effort within the party to achieve the primary aim of the committee.
He commended the national body of the party for setting up such a reconciliation
committee comprising highly respected leaders of PDP with vast political experiences in and outside of government.
He also expressed optimism that the reconciliation committee with the former two term governors of Osun and Gombe states, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ibrahim Dankwambo as the Chairman and Secretary of the committee respectively and other eminent personalities, would come up with recommendations that would help strengthen the party and reposition it for future elections.
The deputy governor, who noted that issues affecting the party differ from state to state stressed the need for the National body of party to ensure that the outcome of the committee’s assignment was duly and holistically implemented to avoid any setback in the efforts to reposition the party ahead of future elections.
“There’s no way we can pay tributes that can adequately capture the sacrifices you have made to the progress of the party, only Almighty God will reward you, and that reward will come when this assignment that you have undertaken sees the light of the day the way we want it.
“I want to on behalf of His Excellency, place on record that as you move on, the national working committee must ensure that the outcome of your assignment is duly implemented, without which we would be back in square one, and we don’t want to be back in square one.
“So, this is a call on the national working committee, the BoT, and to all elders of our great party, the PDP. We know that the six states of the South West have made recommendations to you in the last few days, and you have listened to them, and we know very clearly that because of who you are, you won’t shy away from telling the whole truth because without that, we won’t easily move forward.
“So, when you’re writing your report, we believe that wherever you observed lapses, lacuna, and what have you, all of those will come into play in terms of recommendations that you present to the national working committee of the party.”
Earlier in his address, the chairman of the PDP national reconciliation committee, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola disclosed that the mandate of the committee and essence of its assignment in the south west was to examine the health of the party, engage stakeholders with a view to reconciling aggrieved members and strengthen the party’s cohesiveness.
Prince Oyinlola decried what has become of the party’s fortune in recent years while lamenting how internal wranglings and what was described as primordial sentiments have adversely affected the party’s growth despite its wide reach and presence across the 774 local government areas in the country.
Prince Oyinlola, who also disclosed that the committee was moving to the South-South region having completed its mission in the South West expressed optimism that other regions would take a cue from the South West and fully cooperate with the committee.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Prince Oyinlola, who disclosed that notably among issues constituting internal issues within the party were political interests and congress related issues said, “For me as a person, what we’ve done in the south west is a repetition.
“Why did I say so? Not long ago I led same recommendation committee that went round the south west, and as at then we were able to identify the issues that were militating against our unity and success. So, we had gone round the state that time, and Engr. Seyi Makinde, having noticed that there was acrimony in the party for the zone, and that’s how we went round.
Prince Oyinlola expressed excitement seeing leaders of PDP in Oyo state coming together describing it as a clear testament to the progress made by the party different from the last reconciliation efforts of the national committee which he also chaired.
Others present at the briefing were the former deputy governor of Abia State, Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, Mr Rahman Owokoniran, former Speaker, Bayelsa State, House of Assembly, Hon (Dr) Boyelatefa Debekeme, and Mr Emma Ogidi.
Also present from Oyo state were Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, Dr Saka Balogun, Elder Wole Oyelese, Chief Mutiat Ladoja, Barrister Hazeem Gbolarumi, Oyo PDP State Secretary, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke, Barrister Adeniyi Farinto among others.
Oodua