Mimiko
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may soon begin another fresh of political crisis over the choice of the State Coordinator for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign.
It will be recalled the state chapter of the party have been embroiled in crisis since the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko from Labour Party to PDP and this have polarized the party along old and new members. The old members are kicking against the emergence of one of Mimiko’s associates, Tokunbo Modupe as the State coordinator for Jonathan campaign.
They believe the slot should have been given to them since Mimiko have been made the South West Coordinator for the campaign.
Besides, the old faction of the party led by Chief Olusola Oke and the Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku have vowed to shun any campaign rally organised by the Tokunbo Modupe led Presidential Campaign Committee in the state.
The group also threatened to form a parallel campaign committee for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan if the state coordinator of the campaign group, Mr Tokunbo Modupe is not removed with immediate effect.
The current move by old members of the PDP has hindered efforts to integrate old and new members of the party following the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko from Labour Party (LP) to the party in October 2014.
At a stakeholders meeting convened by Kuku in Akure, the state capital at the weekend, members of the party that attended said it would be an insult on old members of the party if the governor who just defected from LP is made the South-West Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Committee of PDP and another new member is made the State Coordinator.
In a communiqué read by the governorship candidate of the party in the 2012 governorship election in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, the group said Mimiko should remove Modupe as the campaign coordinator of the President and replace him with any old member of the party.
However, the old members said they welcome the governor and members of the LP who just defected into their fold as they would add value to the party
It however warned that it would not be in the interest of the party to have all positions controlled by newcomers.
Oke who was supported by other leaders of the PDP including Dr. Tayo Dairo, Kuku, Princess Oladunni Odu, Prince John Ola Mafo, Ebenezer Alabi and others, regretted the defection of the members of the party to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) and vowed to redress the ugly trend.
He said: “The recent movement or defection of our members is regrettable, and we will do everything to bring them back. We have resolved that never again would any member move out of the party for any reason.”
They also promise to work hard for President Jonathan and candidates of the PDP to ensure victory for the President and the party.
The communiqué reads: “It was unacceptable to the old members of PDP for new members to produce the coordinator for the Jonathan campaign for 2015. Mimiko is the coordinator of the campaign in the South-West. We reject the appointment of Modupe Tokumbo,
“We demand that one of the leaders of the old PDP should be appointed. We also resolved that unless that is done, the old PDP will not work under the umbrella of the leadership of Modupe. We urge all our members to go back to their wards to galvanize support for the party and Jonathan”.
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