FORMER President Olusegun
Obasanjo ’s faction may have carried
the day in the battle for Ogun State
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tickets.
The party handed Gen. Tunji Olurin,
who has Obasanjo ’s backing, its flag
yesterday at a rally to kick-start
President Goodluck Jonathan ’s
campaign in the Southwest.
Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel,
who co-ordinated President
Jonathan ’s campaign before the
presidential primary, shunned the
Ibadan rally.
Also absent were Senate Leader Teslim
Folarin and members of the anti-Alao-
Akala faction of the PDP in Oyo State,
led by Senator Balogun.
They are: Former Deputy Governor
Hazeem Gbolarumi, former PDP Deputy
National Chairman (South) Yekeen
Adeojo and one-time Minister for
Power Wole Oyelese, among others.
They were absent as a result of the
controversy in the PDP over tickets for
the general elections in April.
Olurin, who is now the governorship
candidate of the party in Ogun State,
got the flag from the PDP Acting
National Chairman Haliru Bello
Mohammed. Oyo State Governor
Adebayo Alao-Akala and the party ’s
governorship candidate in Lagos, Dr.
Ade Dosunmu, also got flags.
But, the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) later
yesterday withdrew Alao-Akala ’s and
Enugu Governor Sullivan Chime’s
tickets. They were issued in error, it
said.
Many were stunned when House of
Representatives Speaker Dimeji
Bankole, who has not been cleared to
contest, took the flag on behalf of the
House of Representatives candidates
from the zone and waved it at the
crowd at the expansive Mapo Hall
venue of the event.
Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello,
daughter of former President
Obasanjo, was with her father on the
high table. She also danced all around
while the programme lasted.
Obasanjo told the PDP leadership to
look into the problems caused by the
primaries with a view to reconciling all
the aggrieved members.
“After the primaries, it is normal that
some will be pleased, while some will
be aggrieved. I am appealing to the
National Working Committee of our
party to set up a body that will
reconcile all the aggrieved. After all,
democracy is a game of number. We
need everybody no matter what
happened – whether they are good or
bad.”
Obasanjo said the Southwest must
remain in the political mainstream. He
said in Yoruba, “O si n be, bawo ni o se
fe mo bi won se pin (You were not
there, how do you expect to know
how they shared the largesse). ”
Obasanjo went on: “With the political
history of our country, the unity will be
strengthened, if a person from the
minority group from Southsouth wins
the election.
“Nothing should be taken for granted.
We do know that there are areas
crying for attention – security,
unemployment of youths, corruption
and infrastructure. These can ’t be
neglected. As for me, I take solace in
the fact that President Goodluck
Jonathan, who has gone through the
period of tutelage, would work. ”
Jonathan, who was in Ibadan with
Vice President Nnamadi Sambo, said
the Southwest is too strategic to the
politics and economy of Nigeria to be
left in the hands of “rascals”. He did
not elaborate.
According to him, Lagos State is a mini-
Nigeria, considering the population
make-up which consists of about 50
per cent non-Yoruba, Ogun, with 30
per cent non-Yoruba, among other
states in the region.
The President described Lagos as
important for the PDP because of its
economic, industrial and political
importance. He said Lagos must not
continue to be in the hands of the
opposition party. He also hinted that
all internal crises rocking the PDP in
the region would be resolved
amicably.
His words: “The zone is a mini-Nigeria.
Lagos houses the industries and it
bubbles with economic activities.
Therefore, the zone must be taken
seriously. The zone has dynamic
people, great scholars and committed
citizens.
“All PDP crises in the Southwest will be
resolved amicably. We must work hard
to take over Lagos, which is a very
important state in Nigeria. We are also
working towards taking Ekiti and
Osun. With your support, the whole of
Southwest must be in the PDP. The
zone is too important to be in the
hands of rascals. PDP must take over
the Southwest. ” Jonathan promised a
five-year development plan that
would be pursued to the end, adding
that such a plan would not give room
for abandoned projects.
He added that his administration
would stand by the rule of law,
stressing that the era of impunity is
over.
The President said his administration
would focus on security and the
economy to put the country on a
sound footing for prosperity of
citizens.
Former All Nigeria People’s Party
(ANPP) presidential aspirant Chief
Harry Akande was accepted into the
PDP. He said: “After 12 years of
walking in the wilderness of ANPP, I
am now back in the PDP. ”
He described President Jonathan as an
epitome of peace, patience and
honesty.
Also at the rally were Defence Minister
Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN); former
Ekiti and Ondo State governors - Mr
Segun Oni and Dr Olusegun Agagu -
and their Osun State counterpart,
Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Bayelsa
State Governor Timipre Silva was also
there.

just one word. . . . unbelievable!. . . . abegi politicians are all the same jare. . .jonathan ko jonathan ni. . . pdp and the way they are imposing candidates. . . na wah.

Na wao o! This one pass laughing matter, PDP I hail thee.

So who is the new campaign head for SW?

Insert Quote
So who is the new campaign head for SW?


OTUNBA MICHAEL ALAO-AKALA of course