Nigeria Content Online

A faction of the
ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, under the
leadership of Dayo Soremi, yesterday kicked against the re-scheduled
congress of the State Assembly as ordered by visiting panel from Abuja
led by Obinwa Nnaji.

Mr Soremi, whose
faction is loyal to the Minister for Commerce, Jubril Martins-Kuye,
said Mr Nnaji’s panel does not have the power to cancel the congress.

“The attention of
our party has been drawn to reports in few newspapers to the effect
that the House of Assembly primaries we peacefully conducted in Ogun
State yesterday has been purportedly cancelled on the orders of Obinwa
Nnaji who led the visiting panel from Abuja,” Mr Soremi said.

“For records
purpose and in order to clarify issues to our teeming members, we wish
to state clearly that the said Mr Nnaji cannot give what he does not
have.

“The powers to fix
dates of primaries of our party has been exercised by the National
Working Committee (NWC) and confirmed by the National Executive Council
(NEC) of our great party. No individual, or group, panel or panelists
can excercise such authority, except as a day-dream exercise in
futility.”

He said the House
of Assembly primaries in the state, which was conducted on January 3,
2011, was very peaceful as could be attested to by members of the
press, State Security Services, Police and INEC.

“We wonder why
anybody could then be induced to create chaos, which is the predictable
outcome of a so-called new primaries,” he said.

Hand of Esau

He said it was
clear that the faction loyal to the state governor, Gbenga Daniel lost
out woefully in the primaries, “as the authentic members of the party
whose names are in Abuja voted overwhelmingly for our aspirants who
have now emerged as our party’s candidates.”

“We are aware that OGD has been boasting that he will warehouse any
panel sent to Ogun State as he has the party national chairman in his
pocket with the backing of the Presidency,” he said. “Though we tend
not to believe this, however, if it appears to be real, then, this will
signal a continuous suport for illegality from the highest level and it
would certainly not augur well for our party in Ogun State. We
therefore categorically reject another OGD- induced House of Assembly
primaries in Ogun State. It is illegal, fraudulent, against the PDP
costitution and an invitation to chaos.”