11th January, 2013
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hinged its decision to dissociate itself from the purported nomination of Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, as its governorship candidate on the need to ensure due process.
Reports of Obanikoro’s nomination carried by a section of the media recently were denied by the chairman of the party, Tunji Shelle in a statement issued by the party last weekend.
The Lagos PDP boss stressed that Obanikoro’s alleged nomination was farther from the truth.
According to him, as an organised party, the PDP applied the appropriate rules in its day-to-day activities.
Consequently, Shelle who referred to the alleged party nomination as strange, said there was no way such could have taken place without following due process.
While not ruling out mischief from certain quarters, he said it was too early in the day to talk about such a sensitive issue.
His views were shared by the state woman leader of the party, Mrs Shola Oladehinbo, who expressed surprise at the matter.
According to her, the whole thing was a figment of the imagination of its authors, as it never emanated from the party.
According to her, the major concern of the Lagos PDP at the moment is ensuring cohesion ahead of the 2015 general election.
Oladehinbo described the rumour as fraud of immense dimension targeted at fooling PDP members.
In his reaction, a member of the state working committee of the party, Chief Taiwo Kuye tasked party members to be wary of shameless characters out to deceive them.
According to him, the Lagos PDP will not be fooled again as it now knows those who truly want to lead them.
Kuye, therefore, tasked PDP members to seek information from only recognised leaders of the party so as not to be deceived.