BEVERLY HILLS, March 15, (THEWILL) – Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor–Akerele and other PDP chieftains in Lagos State have thrown their weight behind Hon. Taofeek Arapaja who is gunning for the National Vice Chairmanship of the PDP in the South West.
George and other PDP leaders made their support known to Arapaja, when he visited the party leaders at Bode George’s Ikoyi- Lagos office.
Arapaja, a former deputy governor of Oyo State who is the South West mainstream PDP candidate in the forthcoming regional Congress of the party was accompanied to Lagos by Mrs. Abosede Adedibu, who is also going for the Women Leader position during the congress, the South West Caretaker Chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro and Hon. Dare Adeleke.
Speaking on behalf of other party chieftains in Lagos, Chief George said Arapaja is competent and devoted.
He said: “I know you are competent, devoted, willing and rearing to serve with the best of intentions and with the best of motives. I have no doubt that you will succeed”.
George urged Arapaja that when he mounts the podium of leadership, he should let the constitution of the party be his guide like a constant northern star.
“Respect it. Adhere to its basic tenets and values with principled devotion. Never deviate from this grundnorm. That is your steering rudder to the redemptive light. You must be fair and just in all your undertakings. Let your decisions bear the collective input of your team. Always allow the redeeming precedents of old to sharpen your bearing, to strengthen your vision, to give fillip to your commitments and your mission.”
George further counselled Arapaja to be totally resolved, stern and immovable about the principle of non-interference of external forces in the affairs of the South West.
George said he looks forward to a zonal congress ,which will be a celebration of brotherhood, a triumphant carnival of love, of friendship and party solidarity
Arapaja in his response, appealed to members of Lagos State chapter of the party to bury their differences in the interest of the party so that it can move forward.
He emphasised that it is only when the party is united that it can win election, adding that when the party is in government, then it can meet the needs and yearnings of the electorate and members of the party.
He stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not better than the PDP but the party was having its way because of the division in the PDP.
“We came for your blessings, prayers and seek your vote in the zonal Congress that comes up very soon. It is also time to win Lagos State, and take power to where it belongs. We gave them (APC) opportunity because we did not work as a team. Lagos State is of strategic importance, we need to win the state, we should rise above petty jealousy, the objective is to take power from those people and restructure the party.
“These people have their way because we are not united. Let us stop wasting our time, if you have executive council without being in government, the executive council is useless. We are appealing to you, begging you to be united”, Arapaja appealed.
He however, added that, if there is the need to appease and beg some members for the party to work as a team he was ready to do that.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the PDP caretaker committee in the South West, Dayo Olugbenro charged members of the Lagos State chapter of the party to forget their differences and work as a team for the success of the party.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
