South West Will Kick Against Northern PDP Chairmanship – Ogunlewe, Babatope

Trouble is far from over in the camp of the opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as former Ministers of Transport and Works, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, yesterday, kicked against the decision of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to retain the zoning of the national chairmanship of the party to the North East.

In separate interviews with Vanguard, the PDP leaders said the decision would be resisted by the South West, PDP.

“Well, a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the party will be called shortly and there we will express our mind. Talking individually, I think it is not the right decision but then, if that is their final decision, that is what it is. Those of us of like mind will meet and discuss it because they cannot jeopardise the chances of our party at all,” Babatope said.

Also speaking, Ogunlewe said: “Our position is simple. The two (chairmanship and presidency) cannot go to the North but if it is a temporary arrangement that they should be there for another two years before we pick the presidential candidate, I will agree with them.

“The danger is this, if the two are from the North, what do you use to campaign in the South west? What do we tell our people? It is probable that we (South west) may not get the deputy chairmanship position, it will go to the East. So what will be our fate in the whole arrangement? That is our fear and if we cannot tell our people what is there for them, it will be very difficult for us to campaign. So, we are appealing to them to consider their decision to let the national chairman come from the South-West,” Ogunlewe said.