Fresh crisis in Lagos PDP after botched congress

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos is unlikely to produce a new chairman and other members of the State Working Committee (SWC) before Saturday’s convention of the party, Daily Trust can report. This followed the botched congress held penultimate Saturday (October 16). The congress, which was held at Tafawa Balewa Square, was said to […]

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos is unlikely to produce a new chairman and other members of the State Working Committee (SWC) before Saturday’s convention of the party, Daily Trust can report.

This followed the botched congress held penultimate Saturday (October 16).

The congress, which was held at Tafawa Balewa Square, was said to be going on smoothly when violence broke out.

As a result of the melee, the electoral committee chairman, Johnson Abounu, announced the cancellation of the congress. 

Meanwhile, two weeks after the botched congress, there is uncertainty over a new date for the conduct of the exercise.

Daily Trust reports that Dr. Pearse Olatokunbo and Dr. Amos Fawole are the main contenders for the chairmanship of the party in the state.

However, there were allegations and counter-allegations over the disruption of the exercise with Olatokunbo allegedly blaming the PDP leader in the state and former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George for the disruption. 

He said the disruption started after Bode George approached Senator Abiodun Olujimi who is a member of the electoral committee for the congress. 

George is believed to be backing Fawole to emerge as the new PDP chairman in the state. 

Following the allegation levelled against him, Bode George, through the Chairman, Lagos PDP Democrats, Olatunde Johnson, described Olatokunbo’s allegation as “total falsehood and character assassination.”

When contacted, Olatokunbo expressed displeasure over the disruption of the exercise, saying he was confident of defeating any candidate endorsed by the PDP leader.

He however said the national secretariat of the party was yet to communicate to the members on the conduct of the botched exercise.

Also speaking, the outgoing publicity secretary, Taofik Gani, said the party is awaiting the directive of the national leadership on the new date for the congress.