Why PDP lost South West--Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has hinged the defeat suffered by the party in the South -West Zone during the April  general elections on indiscipline among PDP members.

Obasanjo, who is the Chairman, Board of  Trustees of  the PDP, spoke on Saturday at the South-West Zonal Meeting of the party held in Abeokuta, Ogun.

``Absolute indiscipline and gross violation of  the party’s constitution was the bane of our party  during the last general elections,’’ he said.

He also attributed the poor performance of the party during the elections to strong internal strife as well as  lack of  commitment and loyalty to the party.

The former president, however,  encouraged PDP members in the zone to learn from the past and forge ahead.

 `` We stumbled, but did not fall down. This is a bitter lesson for us to go back to the drawing board and make necessary adjustments.

``This is not the time to lament about the past, but to learn from it and look forward for  better party cohesion,’’ he added.

He urged leaders  and members of the party in the zone to work as a team in order to restore the lost glory of the party in the South-West.

Obasanjo also enjoined them to reconcile with  repentant members who had left the party over certain reasons.

He, however, cautioned that those who deliberately destroyed the party and failed to demonstrate a sense of remorse should be avoided.

The BOT chairman lamented that the zone failed to produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives which the party earlier ceded to it.

He  expressed optimism that the  National Secretary position would  be ceded to the zone and  urged members to give priority  to party dues, noting  that  this  was key to ensuring proper execution of  planned programmes in the zone.

Alhaji Tajudeen  Oladipupo,  PDP  National Vice Chairman, South-West, in his address, reviewed the activities of the party in the six states of the zone.

He also attributed the poor performance of  the party during the 2011 gubernatorial elections in the zone to lack of unity, absence of  internal democracy and gross  indiscipline among some leaders and members of the party.

The PDP chieftain lamented that internal wranglings  made it impossible for the party to regain  power in some states in the zone while losing others to the opposition.

 In a communique issued after the meeting, leaders were directed to set up standing reconciliation committees in their respective states and report back to the leadership of the zone within two weeks.

The meeting also directed that returnees to the party must comply with the constitution by first going back to their wards to re-register as members of the party.

 It also directed  that internal democracy must prevail in the forthcoming congresses in the zone

 The meeting also recognised the stabilising role of  Obasanjo  in  the zone and commended him for his efforts.

 While commending President Goodluck Jonathan for his choice of ministers from the South West, the meeting  urged the ministers to be worthy representatives of  the zone at the national level.

Dignitaries present at the meeting included Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, BOT member; Mr Olusola Oke, PDP National Legal Adviser; Navy Captain Caleb Olubode, Minister of  Police Affairs and  former governors of Osun, Ekiti and Ondo;  Olagunsoye Oyinlola,  Olusegun Oni and Olusegun Agagu respectively.

Also present were PDP local government and state chairmen, zonal executive committee members and other party leaders. (NAN)