Some state chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party in the South-West have berated Governor Seyi Makinde for issuing a subtle threat against them over the forthcoming Southwest congress of the party.

The party has fixed April 10 for the congress to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

The governor, however, in a statement issued by his media aide, Taiwo Adisa, on Friday commended the NWC for allowing to hold the congress in Ibadan but warned the NWC against bowing to pressure to shift the date, saying such would be resisted.

The statement read, “As the only serving PDP governor in the South-West and an invested party in the PDP’s growth and development, I commend the National Working Committee for the decision to go ahead with the South-West Congress.

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“I am glad that they bowed to superior reasoning regarding the congress. I am also happy that the congress will be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in line with our party’s constitution and as stipulated in Paragraph 8 (1)(g) of the Guidelines for the Conduct of Ward, Local Government Area, State, Zonal Congresses and National Convention for the purpose of electing Party Executive Committees at all levels which were issued and signed in January 2020. We look forward to hosting other members of the South-West PDP come April 10.

“However, it has come to my notice that some divisive elements within the party are trying to unduly influence party decisions on the national level. It is shameful that while the peace and reconciliation committee is going about trying to bring the party together, some people are determined to factionalise it. The NWC must not reward these individuals who are working against the party’s overall interests.”

The governor added, “I must warn that any attempt to shift the South-West Congress’s date from April 10 is a signal that the hierarchy has been compromised. Such an action would have dire consequences. For one thing, we will be forced to take all necessary measures to take back our party.

“Let me restate that the PDP is the best alternative for Nigerians. At this moment, we should be expending our energies in positioning our party and gearing up for leadership at the national level. We must show Nigerians that we are the real deal.”

Makinde said the NWC should rise to its responsibilities and prevail on the person or persons “acting as clogs in the wheel of the party’s progress.(Sic)”

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“Remember, the PDP is greater than any individual,” he said.

But the PDP chairmen in some South-West states tackled Makinde for issuing such a warning, saying they found the governor’s alleged threat “unbelievable and disgusting.”

The Chairman of the South-West PDP Chairmen, Dr Sikirulai Ogundele, in a statement on behalf of PDP chairmen in Ekiti, Lagos and Osun states – Otunba Bisi Kolawole, Adedeji Doherty and Sunday Bisi, respectively – said it was shocking that Makinde could insult and threaten “the custodians of the party just because they choose to obey an order of the court.”

The statement read in part, “We read with disgust the statement credited to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, warning leaders and member of the National Working Committee of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party.

“The Working Committee of this party was duly elected just like the governor, and as stakeholders, we all have our own roles to play – more so that he is only the governor of Oyo State by providence and not the Governor-General of the South-West. Even in Oyo State, the governor is not the only stakeholder of the PDP there.

“To us, threatening that there will be consequences if the party obeys the court order concerning the South-West congress is the height of political rascality and it should be made clear to all lovers of PDP that nothing will be worse than what he has done before by jumping from one political bed to another. It is on record that in 2015, he was persuaded to accept the senatorial ticket, yet, he left the PDP for the SDP (Social Democratic Party).”

Ogundele added, “Who cares if he chooses to leave the PDP this time, too? Is he not even already a sinking ship in Oyo State, placing members of the SDP and ADC (Action Democratic Congress) over and above those of the PDP?

“Without apologies, Governor Makinde can do his worse. He should stop threatening the party because he is not more a loyal and committed member of the party than people like us who stood by the party when he left.”