Eddy Olafeso Is The Only Candidate Who Has Shown Interest To Become The South West Chairman Of PDP – Adebisi Olopoeyan
Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
…As Party Members Need Recognition From Gov. Makinde
The leadership tussle in the South West of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become the talk of the moment among party members as different views are being aired by various party chieftains.
Speaking on the recent development, one of the party chieftain in Oyo State Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan has revealed that Eddy Olafeso is the only candidate who has shown interest in the zonal chairmanship position of the party in the South West.
According to Olopoeyan, nobody has come out to present himself or shown any interest in becoming the chairman except Eddy Olafeso who is well known by everyone.
The party chieftain further maintained that whoever is interested in the position should speak up and stop going undercover.
Olopoeyan while speaking on former governor Oyinlola and Fayose’s take on the issue stated that Oyinlola is not interested in becoming the zonal chairman of the party as he was once a national secretary of the party and the governor of Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde cannot become the chairman as he is a sitting governor, but if he has a candidate, he should inform the party about it while Fayose on the other hand wants peace to reign among party members.
“There is no problem in the South West about leadership as nobody is contesting leadership with Gov. Seyi Makinde in S/W. Fayose is not contesting leadership with him. It is a roundtable decision that Eddy Olafeso should continue with the position because he did well and Fayose still maintained that position but later on, Gov. Makinde objected to it. But the issue here now is whether he objects to it or not, who exactly is contesting against Eddy because no one has been mentioned as we speak.”
” Fayose is for peace and he is not contesting and I support Eddy Olafeso because he is the only candidate we have, he is the only one known to be contesting. I am also curious to know who will be brought to contest against Eddy. If Gov. Makinde has an interest in the position, he should simply bring out whoever he wants and not do an underground job, they should come out for everyone to see who they are bringing to the table as there is nothing bad in the governor having a candidate, but that person should come out for us to see.” He said
While addressing the perceived crisis within the party in Oyo State, Olopoeyan maintained that there are no faction of aggrieved members in the party but it is certain that over 90% of the party members are not happy over activities happening around.
He noted further that all what the party needs is recognition from the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde who is also a member of the party, but it’s not forthcoming and this has made party members unhappy as they are not being carried along.
The chieftain maintained that his main focus is the unity of the party as he does not want the PDP party in the state to fall apart.
“We need to make the party stand well and not fall because that is the platform which projects all our candidates to be voted for. Without a good platform, nobody can ever win an election. I am a dedicated member of the PDP and I have never decamped to another party and nothing must happen to it. If the party was destroyed, Gov. Makinde would not have emerge as the governor. So what I am agitating for is that the party must not be destroyed.”
“It is well known that when an individual emerge as a governor from a political party, party members also benefit from that administration. But when the party members don’t benefit from it, they will definitely ask questions. We also have educated party members who can become Commissioners and the likes amongst us. He also has to give party members recognition, as party members we are the first set of people who started this journey with him. It was until the party projected him to everyone before he was accepted by the masses.”
“It is not about giving the party members money on daily basis, it’s all about recognition, and being carry along. Some party members needs more familiarity with the Governor, whenever there is chance for you as their Governor, you come around and mingle with them, feel their pulse by constantly paying them visit, let them also feel that they are part of the government, some don’t even need your money, but they just want to belong to the government they have laboured for, and that is all. Olopoeyan stressed.
