We won’t ignore Obasanjo — Filani, PDP S-We
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
What does the court judgment reinstating your executive mean for the PDP in the Southwest?
It means that the gap had existed since August when the congress was supposed to have been held and officers elected has now been filled and party activities in the Southwest will commence just like any other zone.
It means that the gap had existed since August when the congress was supposed to have been held and officers elected has now been filled and party activities in the Southwest will commence just like any other zone.
Ishola Filani
Given the history of factionalisation of the party in the zone, how confident are you about bridging the differences with the other camp?
I don’t know what you mean by the other camp.
I don’t know what you mean by the other camp.
You have people like Engr. Oni and their supporters.
Engr. Oni has left the party. So, we have no issues and when we (exco) were there we were bridging all the gaps and we succeeded in it and whatever little problems that are now arising and as far as we are concerned we are up to it and with the assistance of the state chairmen who we have been working with, we will be able to manage the affairs of the Southwest.
Engr. Oni has left the party. So, we have no issues and when we (exco) were there we were bridging all the gaps and we succeeded in it and whatever little problems that are now arising and as far as we are concerned we are up to it and with the assistance of the state chairmen who we have been working with, we will be able to manage the affairs of the Southwest.
Affairs of the south west
The important thing is for us to win the elections in Ekiti and Osun which will show how much progress we have made. So, as far as we are concerned most of our people are now together and it is our duty as the zonal executive to ensure there is no problem between them any longer.
The important thing is for us to win the elections in Ekiti and Osun which will show how much progress we have made. So, as far as we are concerned most of our people are now together and it is our duty as the zonal executive to ensure there is no problem between them any longer.
So how do you hope to achieve reconciliation with members like President Obasanjo who said he is not going to partake in the affairs of the party?
We are going to talk to everybody, we are going to make them realize that as far as we are concerned, we do not want anybody to leave our party. We want unity among our leadership, unity amongst the members and leadership of the party in the six states that form the Southwest geopolitical zone.
We are going to talk to everybody, we are going to make them realize that as far as we are concerned, we do not want anybody to leave our party. We want unity among our leadership, unity amongst the members and leadership of the party in the six states that form the Southwest geopolitical zone.
We want a situation where all of us, particularly those of our members and elders who we know have achieved so much in life, that we cannot afford not to bring back into the fold. Our executive is on a peace making mission and we are going to give everybody the opportunity to help us build the party.
Take somebody like Obasanjo, he has been the head of state twice in this country, we cannot afford to lose him because of his wisdom, because of his experience and because of all the good things he can bring into the party. We would exploit all avenues to ensure that those who are still in the party and those who are going to help us build the party are brought together and we are not going to in any way discriminate.
Our focus is to win the southwest and we have two elections now, one next month, the other in August. So we have no time for any pettiness and we are imploring everybody, all our leaders, all our leaders in all the states and all our leaders who have been helping us to rebuild the party. We are going to consult with all of them.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
Our major intention now is that whoever says he is not happy, we will make him happy, total reconciliation and to ensure that there are no fallouts, that will disenable us in the June and August elections. So, everybody is welcome. We appreciate the worth of everybody. I want to say that from our father, Obasanjo to the last man in the party we are going to make sure that we all work together.
How are you reconciling your party members who lost out in the gubernatorial primaries in Ekiti and Osun?
All the aspirants that contested are now working together. God has given us the wisdom to be able to manage that affair. It is the making of God, it is not our making. Everybody was expecting that because the 13 aspirants were on one side and Fayose who eventually became the candidate was on the other side, everybody was expecting that we were going to have serious issues.
All the aspirants that contested are now working together. God has given us the wisdom to be able to manage that affair. It is the making of God, it is not our making. Everybody was expecting that because the 13 aspirants were on one side and Fayose who eventually became the candidate was on the other side, everybody was expecting that we were going to have serious issues.
But fortunately for us by the intervention of party elders, national executive, the president and everybody we have been able to obtain maximum cooperation from all the other candidates. Everybody has put behind him their own personal interests and what is important to them now is how we can work together now and the same thing is happening in Osun.
Given the background of your candidate who was impeached from office, some wonder whether he was the best your party could produce?
Well, the particulars of the impeachment are not known to me. What constitutes the impeachment, I do not know. The fact that you are impeached by the House of Assembly does not mean that you have committed any offence either against the party or against the law. If you read the provisions of the law relating to impeachment it is not a criminal issue, and that is why this impeachment thing must be reviewed because it gives the exclusive power to the House.
Well, the particulars of the impeachment are not known to me. What constitutes the impeachment, I do not know. The fact that you are impeached by the House of Assembly does not mean that you have committed any offence either against the party or against the law. If you read the provisions of the law relating to impeachment it is not a criminal issue, and that is why this impeachment thing must be reviewed because it gives the exclusive power to the House.
The question we ask ourselves is in most cases, have these Houses not abused the power? When 25 people come into the House and now review what the totality of the registered voters in the state did all because of one animosity or the other between them and the governor, that has challenged the feelings of the people, the authority of the people who voted and it could be for personal reasons.
It would have been another matter if the impeachment had features of criminality, then he would have been handed over to the police and tried on the offences that constitute the reason for him to have impeached him. But nothing like that happened. To the best of my knowledge I do not think Fayose was impeached because of an offence that was criminal in nature.
What are your expectations in the election?
Our expectation is that we would win. Some people are saying that we are fighting an incumbent and all that. The issue is that in Osun Aregbesola did not win any election. In Ekiti, Fayemi did not win any election. I am a lawyer and I can tell you that an election can be annulled by technical reasons and that was what happened in these two states. In terms of numerical strength we have always been more than the ACN and now APC and we are still more in Ekiti and Osun.
Our expectation is that we would win. Some people are saying that we are fighting an incumbent and all that. The issue is that in Osun Aregbesola did not win any election. In Ekiti, Fayemi did not win any election. I am a lawyer and I can tell you that an election can be annulled by technical reasons and that was what happened in these two states. In terms of numerical strength we have always been more than the ACN and now APC and we are still more in Ekiti and Osun.
Governor Fayemi has said that the only way Fayose can win is through rigging and that that is what you are planning.
You know the propaganda of the APC is very high. Rather than propagating ourselves on the pages of the newspaper, what we do is that we sit down and plan, we work hard.
You know the propaganda of the APC is very high. Rather than propagating ourselves on the pages of the newspaper, what we do is that we sit down and plan, we work hard.
Sitting down to plan
Fayose and members of our party don’t sleep, they are always on the streets, touring every ward in Ekiti and the same thing Omisore is doing in Osun.
The whole world that all that the APC is interested in is noise, noise, noise. Whatever they want to do, they will start accusing you that you are the person who wants to do it. So, as far as they are concerned so that the entire world would take their eyes of them, that is why they are making the noise they are trying to rig.
Fayose and members of our party don’t sleep, they are always on the streets, touring every ward in Ekiti and the same thing Omisore is doing in Osun.
The whole world that all that the APC is interested in is noise, noise, noise. Whatever they want to do, they will start accusing you that you are the person who wants to do it. So, as far as they are concerned so that the entire world would take their eyes of them, that is why they are making the noise they are trying to rig.
Are you not bothered that the two immediate past governors in Ekiti and Osun who are from the PDP are fighting against your quest in the elections?
The reason that they are doing that is obvious. The two of them their election as national vice chairman and national secretary were voided by the courts.
The reason that they are doing that is obvious. The two of them their election as national vice chairman and national secretary were voided by the courts.
But Oyinlola was reinstated
No he was not reinstated, the court said his removal was wrong! There is a difference between that and reinstatement.
No he was not reinstated, the court said his removal was wrong! There is a difference between that and reinstatement.
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