Obasanjo, Daniel others meet over Ogun crisis

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Senator Jubril Martins Kuye on Saturday had at closed door meeting to find a lasting solution to the lingering political crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.


The meeting, which had in attendance other chieftains of the party, including the G-16 lawmakers led by Tunji Egbetokun, our correspondent gathered, was held at the instance of the former president.

Obasanjo, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt, implored all party members to bury their differences in the interest of the party as the 2011 poll approaches.

A source who attended the meeting said, “The former president who we all respect advised on the need for us to remain united in the interest of the party and the need for us to go into the forthcoming general election as one indivisible family.”

He was said to have advised all the warring parties to be frank during the deliberations and to allow peace to reign.

To hasten reconciliation, our correspondent gathered that an eight-man committee was set up under the chairmanship of Senator Ayodeji Otegbola with the chairman of Remo North Local Government Area, Mr. John Obafemi, as the secretary.

The other members of the committee are a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dave Salako, Prince Wole Otenaike, a former Secretary to the state government, Chief Sarafadeen Ishola, and the factional speakers of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Yemi Coker and Tunji Egbetokun.

The committee was given terms of reference to build everlasting peace in the party.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, who confirmed the meeting in a telephone interview with our correspondent, described the development as a positive move.

He said, ”All major stakeholders in Ogun PDP attended the meeting. It was a positive move and the committee had been given the mandate to submit its interim report in one week.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, will declare his intention to contest for Ogun Central House of Representatives’ seat in the next two weeks.

Source:http://www.punchng.com/