Ondo PDP leaders reject Jonathan’s presidential campaign coordinator

Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ondo State chapter have called for the removal of Mr. Tokunbo Modupe, nominated by the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, as the Co-ordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan presidential campaign in the state.

There, leaders fear that the development would result in further defection of aggrieved members of the PDP to the rival All Progressives Congress.

At an emergency meeting of the stakeholders on Saturday, the leaders rejected the nomination of Modupe, saying it was a spite on the old PDP members.

The meeting, which was attended by the party's governorship flag bearer in the 2012 governorship election, Chief Olusola Oke, ‎ former chairman of the party in the state, Dr Tayo Dairo, former Information Commissioner, John Mafo, ‎Navy Capt Joseph Adewusi,Dr. Lucas Gbakinro ‎among others.

‎In a communique after the meeting and signed by a former state Commissioner, Ayo Ifayefunmi, the leaders called on Governor Olusegun Mimiko, to reverse the nomination before it turned out to be harmful to the party's interest.

They urged the governor to act fast before it became too late, given that the elections were already near, saying the development was causing defection from the party.

‎The communiqué read: "We Observe with regret the movement of some PDP leaders and members to opposition party APC. We request Governor Mimiko to redress the situation in the party to halt the movement.

"We regret in its entirety the appointment of Mr. Tokunbo Modupe, an exraction of New PDP as the State Coordinator of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan campaign. The governor being the South West Coordinator make the appointment negatively skewed against Old PDP members. We insist that the appointment should be reserved for Old PDP member."

The leaders however pleaded with members of the party in the state to remain loyal to the party urging them to work towards ensuring victor‎y for President Goodluck Jonathan in next month's presidential election.

"We plead with our members across the state to remain loyal to PDP and wait for further instructions from the leaders on the way forward.

"We resolved to give our unflinching support for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan believing that he will create enabling environment for us to do so," the communique stated.

The party has been assailed by conflicts since October 2014 when Mimiko left the Labour Party for the PDP, having failed to reach an amicable solution on the issue of sharing political positions between the members of the old PDP and the former LP members.

olaniran faith