PDP in dilemma over Ogun crisis

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in a dilemma on how to resolve the crisis rocking its Ogun State chapter as the local government election in the state is fast approaching.

The NWC directed that a new state congress should be held last Saturday to elect new executives who would in turn organise primaries for the selection of candidates for the council election.This was, however, put on hold due to the various litigations instituted by a faction of the party.

Going by the guidelines released by the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), ahead of the local government election fixed for July 21, this year, collection and submission of nomination forms by candidates would close on June 5 and there is no room for independent candidates.

It was gathered that all efforts to reconcile the various factions in the multi-faceted crisis before now had proved abortive as all the gladiators refused to shift ground, while several cases are before the courts thereby compounding the situation.

Upon assumption of office, the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led NWC directed the South West Zonal Working Committee of the party to take over the affairs of the state chapter of the party as part of efforts to resolve the crisis.

A reliable source at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja told the Nigerian Tribune in confidence that the leadership of the party was in total dilemma on how best to resolve the crisis in the state because of the personalities involved and the legal dimension introduced to it as well as the external influence.

The also source disclosed that the party’s NWC would meet this week to find a way forward.