By Dapo Akinrefon

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Chief Gbolahan Folami, has attributed the crisis in the state chapter of the party to lack of internal democracy.

Folami, who spoke with newsmen in Lagos while tracing the crisis in the state PDP since 1998, said that lack of properly conducted congresses in the party at all levels was responsible for the division. He noted that such trends over the years, has effected the fortunes of the party especially as regards genuine commitment of party members.

He, however, said with the latest guideline released by the national body of the party for the conduct of primaries ahead of the 2011 general elections, there is the possibility of electing a credible governorship candidate that will unify all members and lead the party to victory at the forthcoming poll.

His said: “We have suffered from lack of internal democracy in our state branch of the PDP and this was something that started from the congress of November 1999. Unfortunately, till today we have not recovered from the repercussions of that congress.

“Impunity became the order of the day and in the process a lot of people left the party and those that remained were not committed.

“We hope that the forthcoming primaries will give us the opportunity of throwing up a new leadership that will deepen internal democracy within the party and give PDP a new hope in the near future.

“PDP has released its guidelines and I want to believe that there is commitment on the part of the state executive members in this regard.”