By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The controversial Chairman of the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Segun Adewale popularly known as Aeroland has insisted that peaceful coexistence can only be guaranteed within the party’s structure in Lagos State, if its National leadership adheres to constitutional guidelines and provisions.
Adewale faulted the emergence of Dr. Adegbola Dominic,describing it as an illegal process,which informs why he was recently sacked and ordered to stop parading himself as the Lagos PDP chairman having been imposed against the provisions of the party’s constitution, he added that such high level of impunity must be avoided permanently for peace to reign.
He however,appreciated the PDP National Executives for toeing the constitutional path and halting the aberration by stopping Dominic from parading himself as the chairman.
He said where no law is followed, there is bound to be logjams, lamenting that the damage caused by Dominic’s short reign in Lagos PDP can never be quantified emotionally and financially.
Adewale posited that even if he would have step down for peace to reign, there must be level playing ground, the constitution stipulates that only the State Executive members or congress can elect new Chairman, others in the case of vacant seat(s), that he stepped back into his position of authority when he noticed that the party is drifting away due to how Dominic and those who illegally installed him are running the party.
He said that his struggle is not to cling to the position of the State Chairman but to ensure that the party is taken back from those destroying it at every election cycle without any meaningful figure added to the overall votes of the party nationally, if we get our party together, we can get a minimum of 3million votes from Lagos in 2023 for PDP.
Adewale made this known to newsmen in Ikeja on Tuesday while interacting with some party faithfuls, he congratulated party members for standing by him to dislodge power from Dr. Adegbola Dominic, who until his eventual sack last Friday, was laying claim to the chairmanship position.
Dominic was removed as a result of a petition written to the National leadership of the party by Adewale, pointing to the fact that his emergence was illegal and unconstitutional, “Adegbola has now been confined to a dustin of history in Lagos PDP”, he said.
“It is important for me to make this call for a proper State congress or new election by the State Executive members because of the agitation of party members across the State, who wants free and fair process.
” In case the National leadership prevail on me to allow a reorganization of the party for more efficiency, the electoral officers the party must be sent to Lagos State from the National Headquarters to supervise the process must be people with impeccable character who would not connive with anyone to compromise the process.
“To avoid further tension in Lagos PDP, the party must be returned to the people through a more credible, vibrant and acceptable leader who can rally people together and not those whose trade is to create divisions.
Adewale who had earlier written to the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus and other key party stakeholders to inform them of the issues militating against the party, blames some leaders in the State for working against the party by installing their stooges as State Executive members, who are only out to make money and not to win elections for the party.
He advised that to avert a bigger crisis in Lagos PDP, the leadership of the party must not toe same path that has led the party into a state of comatose, with the attendant unending internal wrangling.
According to him, he said his joy would be that a very vibrant new PDP evolves, manned by capable hands that can lead the party to victory, adding that there would be no need for members to labour very hard for a party with same set of people who brought it to its kneel since 1999 and that all interested prospective Chairmanship candidates must be allowed to contest and follow due process.
“We need to rebuild PDP ahead of 2023 elections, our figures from the State must reflect our passion and seriousness, Lagos PDP must be able to pull millions of votes that will make it to become a spotlight, but if we don’t get our asses together, we would still be in the same mess that we are now, members would have the self worth,prestige and pride restored only when we rebuild this party”. Adewale said.
He also encourages party members to continue to support the National Leadership of the party with prayers in order not to be wrongly influenced by those who wants the party to remain the failure it is now.