6th May, 2016
Abiodun Onafuye, Abeokuta Otunba Gbolahan Nowoola, a business tycoon, has emerged as the new People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The new Chairman won a landslide victory at the Congress held at the party’s local government Secretariat on Thursday.
He polled a total of 63 votes, while his counterpart, Alhaji Akeem Shittu, polled seven votes.
The total number of accredited delegates for the congress was 73.
Option A4 voting system was adopted for the election. Seventeen other positions were unopposed.
Alhaji Kazeem Abdul-Lateef, who polled 70 votes, emerged as the new Vice-Chairman while Adebogun Asumo, Bose Adepitan and Segun Bello, emerged as the Secretary, Woman Leader and Youth Leader, respectively.
In his speech after the election, Nowoola described his victory as an act of God and the collective demand of the people for a leader to unite all members.
According to the new Chairman, who is also the Kakanfo of Ilara kingdom, “we have our credibility at stake if we do not remain united. This is a new PDP. The party’s hierarchy needed to find someone who is charismatic and intellectually sound to hold the party together and they found me.
“My victory today is excellent. We were two candidates who contested for this post and I found it remarkable that 97 percent of the delegates voted for me,” he said.
The former House of Assembly aspirant in Ijebu-Ode under the platform of PDP, assured members of a new beginning.
“Contrasting opinions in politics breeds efficiency, so it cannot be ruled out anywhere in the world. After these elections, the party will constitute a reconciliation committee whose task would be to reunite all aggrieved and move the party forward.
“The process for us to be formidable again in the country has already begun, there is no need for anyone to despair, we will surely get it right,” Nowoola stated.
Meanwhile, Chief Ibukunoluwa Ojosipe, Ogun State PDP Interim Chairman has denied that the PDP in Ogun State was factionalised.
In an interview, Ojosipe said the PDP as a party had rendered itself weakened by varying opinions of some its members. He called for peace amongst aggrieved members.
“A house cannot be divided against itself and expect to still stand. The PDP lost the last elections to the APC because some of us broke the bond of unity.
“All these will be corrected in due course as the revolution to reform the PDP has already begun. We will come back not only stronger, but also fortified to be undivided and be a party to reckon with in Nigeria once again,” Ojosipe posited.