COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE AUTHENTIC SOUTH WEST PDP ZONAL LEADERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDERS HELD IN LAGOS TODAY, 8TH AUGUST, 2017.

The authentic South West Zonal Executives, leadership and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met today, 8th August, 2017, in Lagos and resolved as follows:

1. We congratulate the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Makarfi (CON) and other eminent members of the committee on the resolution of the national leadership tussle.

2. We note that the judgment of the apex court is not a victory for anyone but our great party, the Rule of Law and Democracy, in general.

3. We also commend the National leadership of our party under the able leadership of Senator Makarfi for the maturity and candour displayed so far in the handling of party matters since the July 12, 2017 judgment of the Supreme Court.

4. We note that the National Chairman has said no member of the party would be victimized or punished for supporting anyone before the apex court delivered its final judgment.

5. We observed with grave concern the activities of some impostors and errand boys parading themselves as members of the South West Zonal Executives of the PDP.

6. These people – Eddy Olafeso, Bunmi Jenyo and others are products of a contraption which has since been nullified by the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/605/2016.

7. In a ruling delivered on the 17th of May, 2016, the court expressly nullified the jamboree held in Akure hosted by the then Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and co-hosted by his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Ayo Fayose, to the exclusion of the authentic and statutory delegates from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states. This was the beginning of what snowballed into a full blown crisis that went up to the national level. Till date, the order has neither been set aside nor upturned on appeal. (See attached order marked PDP 1)

8. We further note that in a final judgment delivered on the 24th of June, 2016, the court categorically stated that our tenure ends in October, 2018, having been elected at a special zonal congress held on the 11th of October, 2014 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. (See attached judgment/order marked PDP 2).

9. Therefore, the South West Zonal Executives of the PDP under the able leadership of Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, who was Fayose’s nominee at the South West Zonal Congress, held on the 11th of October, 2014, remains the ONLY validly elected and judicially sanctioned leadership of the party in the zone.

10. The authentic zonal leadership also notes with concern the attempt by some persons to continue to fan the embers of discord within our party in the South West.

11. We unequivocally condemn the hostile, authoritarian and destabilizing activities of Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and demand that he should be called to order before he sounds the death knell on the party in the South West.

12. The authentic zonal leadership and stakeholders hereby declares Fayose a persona non grata and dissociate the zone from his activities.

13. We resolved further that henceforth the national leadership of our party should desist from relating with him as it regards the South West zone, just as the authentic leadership of the party in the zone and Ekiti State are directed to desist from dealing with Fayose in any capacity until further notice.

14. It is hereby resolved that a special committee be set up at the zonal and national level to continue to mobilize people into the PDP, just as we would continue to reach out and appeal to all those who had left the party as a result of the high-handedness and intolerant activities of Fayose and his cohorts, form the South West zone.

Signed:

Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, Zonal Vice-Chairman, PDP, South West.

Chief Pegba Otemolu, Zonal Secretary, PDP, South West.