Lagos – A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Otunba Segun has insisted that he is the Chairman of the party in the state.

Adewale, popularly known as Aeroland, made the claim while speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Saturday.

He claimed that Dr Adegbola Dominic was not the party’s Chairman in the state.

According to News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports, Adewale was a factional Chairman of the party in the state during the national leadership tussle between former governor, Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff in 2017.

While Adewale aligned with the Sheriff faction, another factional chairman in the state, Mr Moshood Salvador aligned with the Makarfi group, some of the State Chairmen of PDP appointed by Sheriff are still operational in some states that has not conducted there own congresses, WAILERSNG.com gathered.

The Supreme Court on July 12,2017 sacked Sheriff, affirming Makarfi as the national chairman.

Following the judgement, the national leadership directed Adewale,who had been occupying the party secretariat to submit the key to Chief Bode George, an ally of Makarfi, and work with Salvador on a power sharing arrangement.

Adewale agreed to the arrangement to have Salvador as Chairman of an executive including members from his(Adewale’s) own group.

Salvador, as a sitting Chairman, dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress(APC) in 2018 after disagreements with George and other party leaders.

His exit paved the way for the emergence of Dominic as the new chairman.

Adewale told newsmen that he was now the “authentic Chairman”and not Dominic.

He said Dominic could no longer lay claim to the seat as he was appointed to fill the vacuum left by Salvador for a period of three months.

He said the three months given to Dominic had expired in December and that he (Adewale) was the automatic chairman as he only stepped aside for Salvador to allow peace in the party.

Adewale claimed that the court judgement that sacked Sherrif as factional chairman, did not sack him as State chairman and that his tenure would only expire in 2021.

Adewale said he had since taken over the state party secretariat at Shogunle and was working on some legal processes to ensure a firm grip on affairs of the party in the chapter.

“I am the authentic PDP chairman in Lagos, I only stepped aside for Salvador after the national leadership of the party asked me to do so.

“After two years of factional crisis, I obeyed the leadership of the party to allow peace to reign and that the party could make progress but the situation went from bad to worse under the control of Chief Bode George.

“The judgement that sacked Sherrif did not sack me as Chairman and I was supposed to lead the party till 2021 before I stepped aside.
.
“When Salvador left for APC, I made attempts to step in to continue, but there were appeals from all corners that election was underway and that I should allow somebody from the George group to occupy the position in the interim, for a period of three months.

“I agreed and remained on the sidelines and Dominic emerged. But now, his tenure expired in December while I still have my original mandate till 2021.

“So he can no longer claim to be chairman. I am the chairman now. In fact, I have taken over the secretariat and I will not allow anybody to do anything there for now.

“I am working on some legal steps to get things done and I do not want any violence or threats to peace around the secretariat .I don’t want anybody to call me names I don’t bear.

“The only conditions I will shift position is for all groups in the party to agree on an elective congress as soon as possible or a court action stopping me from being chairman.

Adewale, who contested the Lagos West Senatorial elections in 2015 under the party’s platform but lost allegedly by massive rigging to APC, said things had gone from bad to worse in Lagos PDP since he stepped aside.

The party chieftain accused George of distabilising the party in the state through his actions and inactions.
He alleged that George picked Dominic to step in after Salvador and that his nominee further factiionalised the party when he took over.

Adewale said it was time to give the Lagos PDP the kind of leadership it deserved and that he was leading the party once again to put it on the path of progress.

He concluded that there is no more 65:35 fractional system in Lagos PDP deliberately instituted by Bode George to keep using a divide and rule to continue the pillaging of the party's human and financial strength, he said he is back to unite Lagos PDP and give it the required leadership capable of winning elections in 2023.