South-West PDP’s crisis: PDP leadership intervenes as Makinde, Fayose feud deepens

The feud between Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, has further deepened the crisis in the South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is making reconciliation of aggrieved members a herculean task, .

Findings by our correspondent revealed that the duo had been at loggerheads over the control of the party in the zone.

Fayose has been at loggerheads with Governor Makinde over the latter’s role in Ekiti PDP crisis as well as the leadership of the party in the South-West. Chairmen of the party in Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Lagos states have aligned with Fayose, while the PDP chairmen in Oyo and Ondo states took sides with Makinde.

Sources in the party said in line with the party’s constitution, Makinde, as the only PDP governor in the South-West, is the leader of the party and should be given preference when decisions regarding the party are to be taken.

He also has the responsibility of organising the party and leading the assault for the reclaiming of other South- West states from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, the Fayose camp opposed Makinde’s alleged interference in the affairs of Ekiti PDP. According to them, the Oyo governor who sees Fayose as a threat is doing everything possible to take the control of the party from him and hand it over to Senator Abiodun Olujimi.

The crisis escalated on November 11 when a zonal faction, led by Governor Makinde, set up the reconciliation committee headed by a former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Ibadan, which is expected to bring together aggrieved factions of the party in the zone.

Two days later, the faction led by Fayose also set up a parallel zonal reconciliation committee headed by Engr. Femi Babalola. Other members of the committee are Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Ahmed Okandeji Mustapha, Chief Idowu Odeyemi and Chief Tunde Akindehin.  (Daily Independent)