‘We’ll Resist Attempt To Drag Ogun PDP Back To Comatose’ – Adebutu, Showunmi
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu and a former governorship aspirant of the party, Segun Showunmi, have vowed to resist any attempt by any individual to drag the party back to comatose.
The two chieftains of the party said, for many years, PDP in the state was riddled with crisis and litigations, adding that the party may not survive another crisis.
Adebutu and Sowunmi spoke while addressing leaders and members of the party on Thursday, during a stakeholders meeting held at the party secretariat, in Abeokuta, ahead of the party congress.
There have been cracks in the party recently with the party’s Chairman, Sikirullahi Ogundele teaming up with a former governorship aspirant, Jimi Lawal and the former deputy governorship candidate of the party at the last election, Adekunle Akinlade to wrestle the structure of the party from Adebutu.
Ogundele at a meeting last week had accused Adebutu of being responsible for the crisis in the party, saying the reason why the party is not in government is because of Adebutu’s high-handedness and disregard for party leadership.
Ogundele also blamed Adebutu for the party’s woeful performance at the 2023 election.
But, Adebutu while speaking on Thursday said, the party would avoid any temptation that may cause it to return to the days of “scourge and disunity”.
“For 10 years, our party was in the wilderness, we were bedevilled by hunting litigations to the extent that the party became comatose. At that time, the party could not win any position in Ogun Central and Ogun West senatorial districts, I think we functioned partially in Ogun East.
“By the grace of God, we were able to manipulate our way through the mines-field of litigations. In that journey, I must tell you it was not an easy feat, it was from that journey that this current exco emerged.
“We built the party to this stage, the party is for unity. Our party shall remain one, we will avoid any temptation that can cause us to return to the days of the scourge and disunity.
“We can’t afford to take the party back to the days of crisis. I beg you as a party that we must be united, the last crisis we had in this party emanated from congresses”, Adebutu said.
On his part, Sowunmi urged members of the party to support and vote for those that will work for the success of the party at the forthcoming Congress.
Sowunmi said, “In Ogun state, we fought hard to bring PDP back to life and the party is now very active, nobody can take the party back to comatose, we will not allow it, we can’t afford to go back to the era where PDP was riddled with crisis.
“We will keep beging everyone, the party will cease to exist if we have nobody to lead and finance the party. We can’t continue to deceive ourselves, funding of the party is very important.
“We have been talking to them at the national level that they should not allow anyone to destroy the party again in Ogun state.”
The Secretary of the party, Sunday Solarin insisted that there is no division within the party, saying “we are one united family.”
He called on party members to elect credible executive members capable of winning elections for the PDP in the 2027 general elections.
