By Adeyinka Adeniran
Hundreds of delegates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the Southwest states of Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos have arrived the Emeritus Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall for the Zonal Congress.
The delegates are in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city for the Southwest 2025 Elective Zonal Congress for the purpose of electing new zonal executives of the party for the region.
Dignitaries, leaders, elders, political office holders across the three arms of government, and party chieftains from across the region are also present at the Congress.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as security operatives are also on ground in their good numbers.
Some of the dignitaries in attendance include Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), a former Board of Trustee Chair, Chief Bode George, Oyo Deputy governor Bayo Lawal, Chief Bisi Ilaka, Chief Saka Balogun, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Dare Adeleke among others.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee and Chief Electoral Officer, Ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) while addressing the delegates solicited the support so that the exercise will be rancor free.
He saluted the founding fathers, elders and leaders of the party who have remained true and committed to the party, which has made it remained what it is till date.
“I want to thank the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party who are still holding on with the fire belief in the party which has made the party stand out and remained what it is today.
“I want to thank our women and youths, particularly at the state level which forms the bedrock of the party.
“We welcome INEC officials and we want to appreciate their presence and effort.”
While welcoming the delegates earlier, the host Governor, Seyi Makinde recounted that the last Zonal elective Congress was fill with strife and struggle but that the party has cone a long way, four years down the line.
He said, today, the party in the zone is one united and happy family and would by the rancor free elective Congress lay a foundation for how democracy should be practiced in the country.
Makinde said, “We have come a long way as a party. Four years ago, it was like a war, full of strife, rancour and animosity. But, today, we are one united Southwest PDP family.
“This elective Congress is basically a funfare for us. It is for us to show the way democracy should be practiced in Nigeria.
“So, the Southwest is leading the way. We are about to witness a rancor free elective Congress.
“All the stakeholders that should be here are here. INEC is here, observing what we are doing. the security are here. This is democracy at its peak. I can only wish us well.
“This is a foundation that we are about to lay and this will show what PDP will do at its National Convention.”
As at the time of this report, the delegates have commenced the voting for the various vacant positions.
