A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Chief Sanya Atofarati has hinted that all former members of the party who left in gne pre-governirship elections would soon return.
He specifically mentioned former governor Segun Oni who floated the flag of the Social Democratic Party(SDP ) in the last Gubernatorial poll in Ekiti .
Atofarati, in a chat with Independent Newspapers said the leadership,of the PDP in the SouthWest and at the centre have set machinary in motion to bring about genuine reconciliation.
He opined that Nigerians,particularly Ekiti people have realized their mistakes, stressing that APC was not an alternative party to the PDP government both in Ekiti and at the centre.
The PDP stalwart said “Ekiti people still prefer the PDP simply because it has been tested and preferred. I can confirm to you that the likes of Engr Segun Oni of the SDP in the last gubernatorial election is on his way to the PDP. This is upon the efforts and credit of the S’West PDP. Recalled that Oni scored 82,000 votes in the last Guber poll. We are putting measures in place to recover our lost votes In Ekit.
Though ,Atofarati admitted that some unresolved internal conflicts largely responsible for the electoral misfortunes of the PDP in the Governorship and General election in Ekiti and at the centre, he expressed optimism that the party would bounce back soon.
“The people of Ekiti are daily regretting the choice of Oyebanji who has done nothing significant since his inauguration last year October to improve on their welfare.
On the 300days in office of governor Biodun Oyebanji the PDP man rated the governor low in terms of performance .
He alleged that governor Oyebanji could not point at any tangible project except some cosmetics packages handed down to Ekiti people.
” 300 days in office by Gov Oyebanji is the worst ekiti people have ever experienced. I put it to you, ask the government what exactly has he done significantly since he had ascended the governorship position, except for his inconsistent cosmetic patching of roads within the State capital .
“The PDP lost the last gubernatorial, Presidential and National Assembly elections due to internal infractions. However, Ekiti people have learnt their lessons from the mistake. The emergence of the APC led government is not an alternative to the PDP administration. Ot is obvious that the APC has plunged Nigeria’s once thriving economy into deep recession. “Atofarati said
He added that any member of the party found wanting for anti-party activities might not be spared .
Atofarsti said “no one can be superior than the party. On this we are sure the party at the national will take appropriate position in due time. Discipline is very key
“Reconciliation is not a destination but a process. The S’West PDP under the leadership of Govs Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Ademola Adeleke of Oyo and Osun States, respectively, is poised to accommodating all interests across board to ensuring a formidable opposition in the region. We are currently focusing attention to Ondo State where we’d be having governorship election next year (2024). Southwest predominantly has always been a PDP region and we are putting all efforts in place to return the zone to its winning streak”.
The Southwest PDP under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Rahman Owokoniran will leave no stone unturned to achieving cohesion among her leaders and stakeholders for unity of purpose which ultimately is to winning elections and provide true leadership.
On palliative he said : “there is nothing like palliative distribution to the best of our knowledge .Can any reasonable person considered the shameful crumbs being shared among APC members as palliatives? How many civil servants have been given? In Ekiti, the civil servants only takes about 4.00percent of the total population, it is ridiculous to see how the APC government has turned Nigerians to paupers. You can imagine a community of about 1000 residents are subjected to sharing 10 cups of rice in the name of one miserable palliative”.
•INDEPENDENTNG.