It is no longer news that the Lagos State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party has been disgracefully evicted from the building used as it’s party secretariat. This sad event took place as the owner of the property got a judgement and effected the exit of a serial debtor, shamefully!
What is the root of the problem? How did the party allow things degenerate to this extent. In other words we need to x-ray where we are and how we got here.
First of all, Lagos PDP is without a befitting secretariat. The stain on the party can be far imagined as we gear up for the next elections in 2023. What a dirty stain! We can only imagine the reaction from the masses will plan to rescue from the confusion the APC has caused the nation. Are we sure prospective future landlords will not be weary of tenanting an organization that fails to meet it’s rent obligations. If we are not careful, property owners will stay clear of Lagos PDP.
Anything short of an outright purchase or a building donation from well meaning party faithful’s both from within and outside the state may lead to further jest of the party.
State Chairmen till date:
1999: Barr. Bashorun
2003: Alh. M. M. Ashorobi
2007: Chief Alaba Williams
2007: Chief Bayo Williams
2011: Arch Koshedo Sotonji
2015: Captain Tunji Shelle
2019: Hon Moshood Salvador
2019 Engr Deji Doherty
2023: ?????
Secondly, the State chapter has had it’s secretariat at various locations. From the reign of Barr. Bashorun in 1999, where the secretariat was at Akilo road, Ogba up till the tenure of Arch. Koshedo we can assert that the party enjoyed a relative peaceful tranquility. Koshedo did not leave any debt as he was heavily financed by the then Minister of State for Defense, Senator Obanikoro, who was frustrated out of the party.
We can rightly say that the problem of rent indebtness started in the last occupied at Adekunle Fajuyi, GRA, Ikeja from the reign of Captain Tunji Shelle. The hidden truth is that the Captain unlike all other state chairmen installed by the Supreme leader (as he chooses to be called) since he assumed leadership in 2001, was sadly the one most controlled by defacto leader. This is when the table started crumbling although it will be unwise to exonerate all the previous occupants of the seat. All the electoral gain recorded in the state by previous exco’s took a noise dive. From here on it was more about siphoning fund to Luggard avenue. Ashorobi and maybe the two Williams fought day and night, tooth and nail to prevent the undue influence from lord luggard! Their somewhat success can be attributed to the fact that the lord had just joined the party and had no structure to fight them. This soon began to change as the leader adapted the atrocious approach to eliminate all his opponent in other to have all the pie to himself.
It is easily agreed that several State Chairmen the state chapter has produced have been under the control of a leader called the “Supreme One”, the self acclaimed leader of the party in Lagos State who has made it a point of duty to install unpopular and unaccepted stooges as chairman. The longest standing BOT member from Lagos State. He has fought with everyone and anyone that failed to follow his lead. The likes of Dapo Sarumi, Barr Bashorun, Alhaji Ashorobi, Dr. Finnih, Senator Obanikoro, Modupe Shasore and many more industrious and competent sons and daughters of Lagos State have been sacrificed by this one man. In several fora where threats where made to leave the party out of frustration, this one man blatantly boasted that they should let them go as many more will still join the party. Where has the misplaced pride gotten the party with years of his total control of the state machinery?
Yet this leader could not ensure he and his surrogates saved us from shame.
We are right to say that numerous opportunities have come the way of the State chapter in terms of appointments since 1999. It is important to also note that some of these appointments where handed out to none party members in some instances by “the leader”. The State Chapter has produced several Ministers, heads of Federal Government Parastatals and numerous Board members. Members of our chapter occupied positions like the NPA,NDLEA, NIMASA, TF, Defense to mention a few. While they can all be blamed as the root problem, some used their opportunities more wisely to uplift the party.
To say that the state chapter has not been well funded will be a big lie. Billions have come our way in terms of largesse from the positions occupied and funding for elections, including sales of nomination forms. Thousands of national leaders of the party have always supported by funding the party in one way or the other. Yet the supreme leader that controlled everything about Lagos PDP found it difficult for him and his puppet state executive and gubernatorial candidates (particularly Jimi Agbaje, who he installed as gubernatorial candidate in 2015 & 2019 and his cohort Rahmon Owokoniran, who collected N10m each from each LGA reps candidate in 2015 & 2019) to buy the state chapter a befitting building to serve as our secretariat. It has all been about sharing benefits to the detriment of the party members.
Moving forward, the caretaker committee that was recently set up has the divine mandate to totally reorganize the state chapter. They should be mindful of the turn out of similar committees previously established to revamp and savage the state chapter. The clarion call to them is to be unbiased in their assignment in other to leave a lasting legacy that will prepare the party for the 2023 elections and further ones at that.
This committee should avoid unnecessary interference from external forces and sycophants . Run as far away as possible from those already sending congratulatory messages to you to show they have connection with the new committee. Avoid being ruined by these expired leaders whose trade is to wait every 4 years for election funds!
