By Dapo Akinrefon

THERE seems to be no end to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State.

This is because some members of the State Working Committee are determined to scheme the embattled chairman of the party, Captain Tunji Shelle out of power following the allegations of financial mismanagement leveled against him..

Only last week, a meeting was called by the interim state chairman, Mr Owolabi Kamal Olorunoje, to brief some elders of the party, led by former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Korofowola Bucknor-Akerele, on updates within the party.

Recall that there marching orders were given to Shelle to abstain from parading himself as state’s party chairman, while the appointment of an interim chairman was approved by 34 members of the party executives.

Roll call

Chief Olabode George

Leaders present at the meeting included former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Korofowola Bucknor-Akerele; Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Owolabi Olorunoje, Mr Dele Ashiru, Mrs Owolabi Salis, Alhaji Wahab Owokoniran, Jide Ladeinde, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly lawmakers elected on the party’s platform.

The state secretary of the party, Mr Owokoniran, who accused the embattled chairman, Shelle of misappropriation of the party’s funds, said it was time for him (Shelle) to be shown the way out.

On his part, Olorunoje absolved the 34 members, who led the protest for Shelle’s removal.

Olorunoje reiterated that Shelle’s removal was owing to his alleged financial impropriety levelled against him.

Majority of the state executives opine that the state chairman should come forward and clear the air on the allegations leveled against him or face further sanctions.

But it was apparent that the tide had turned against Shelle, leaving the party more divided than ever.

Aside this, it was apparent that some of the party leaders, with the support of Obanikoro, are bent on taking over the reins of power from its leader, Chief Olabode George.

However, one of the highlights of the meeting was the resolution passed to adopt Olorunoje as the acting chairman of the party pending the election of a new state chairman.

A member of the state executive, Mr Dele Ashiru moved the motion, which was adopted by the majority of the stakeholders present at the meeting.

Aside this, the forthcoming local government elections was another issue discussed at the meeting.

It was unanimously agreed that for the party to bounce back, it was win a substantial number of local councils during the polls.

Bucknor-Akerele calls for calm

Mrs Bucknor-Akerele, who was expected to mediate in the crisis, was taken aback when she and her team were presented with allegations leveled  against the embattled chairman.

Not wanting to be drawn into the analysis of the crisis, the former Lagos State deputy governor called on the warring parties to eschew the politics of bitterness.

Musiliu Obanikoro

Bucknor-Akerele particularly appealed to Obanikoro, who is perceived to be backing Olorunoje and his cohorts.

She said “let us not be dejected, we are talking about peace and unity in the party. I want to commend my brother, Senator Obanikoro for his support during the elections. I also want to appeal to my brother, Koro, to be calm because so many things have been said about him. All I have to say is that we need to be united so that we can succeed. We should also be aware that the council elections are around the corner, we must win as many councils as possible so that we can bounce back.”

A member of the state executive who doubles as the state youth leader, Mr Jide Ladeinde expressed his displeasure over the operations of the party led by the state chairman.

He maintained that as far as the chairman could not react to the allegations against him, he should be prepared to dance to the music.

Reiterating that there was no faction within the state chapter of the party, he said “there is no faction in our party, we only have one executive in our party and that is the one led by Olorunoje.”

An aggrieved governorship aspirant, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi opined that the party needed to channel his energy towards winning the local government elections.

Gbadamosi, who was miffed by the party’s loss at the governorship election said “we had the opportunity to take Lagos state but we let it slip. We have the opportunity to get it at the tribunals and we must not let it slip.”

Calling for synergy among party members to enable it win the council polls, he said “we have the local council elections coming, we need to do all in our capacity to capture those 20 recognised in the constitution. Let us try to get the local council development areas in whatever. I want our members to be strong and by God’s grace, we will prevail.”

I’m not behind crisis in Lagos PDP — Obanikoro

In the heat of the crisis, Obanikoro had been fingered to be the brain behind it.

But for Obanikoro, he absolved himself from the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

But while he distanced himself from the crisis, he threw his weight behind the suspension of the state chairman, Captain Shelle.

The former minister, who said those accusing him of been the arrowhead in the crisis are been unfair to him.

He said “I want to strongly throw my weight behind the other speakers that have spoken before me that there is only one PDP in Lagos State. I have never been a member of the state executives and I have no right or privilege to be part of those who suspended the state chairman. The youngest among the state executives is 40 years old and for anybody to insinuate that it is Obanikoro that created the situation for the suspension of Captain Tunji Shelle, I think it is preposterous and unfair to my person.”

While he promised to join hands with the Owolabi Olorunoje leadership, he said “having said that, I am prepared to join hands with you to move the party forward. we saw a good example in Britain, immediately the parties failed, the two leaders of the Liberal Democratic and the Labour Party resigned their positions. why should someone, who has served as secretary and chairman wants to perpetuate himself in power when his colleagues no longer have confidence in him? one should know when to move forward and when to do the needful.”

Speaking further, he said he has no interest in taking over the leadership of the party but that his priority would be on how the party would survive.

His words: “They said Obanikoro wants to take over the party but I have no interest in taking over the leadership of the party. I have no ambition. as I am standing before you today, I am not planning anything, the only thing I am planning to do is to go back to school and study history, that is my plan. So, anybody plotting politics, will not be planning to go back to school but I am here to help our party because the essence of joining politics is to win office and impact on the lives of the people.”

Throwing his weight behind the suspension of the party chairman, he said there is need for the Shelle to give way to enable the party move forward.

He said “Since 1999, the party has been failing, we should give room for the younger elements and I am assuring you that I am ready to support them. That is what I believe leadership is all about. We have challenges ahead of us, the rent for our party secretariat is due.”

Obanikoro added that “I am not interested in that because I know of only one party which is led by Kamal Owolabi Olorunoje. That is the PDP that we know in Lagos State. If a chairman is suspended and he wants to come back, there is a procedure, I think he (Shelle) should follow that procedure.”