Obasanjo says Ogun PDP will regain its glory

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olusegun Obasanjo at the weekend said the failure of the party in Ogun State at the last election could be likened to the downfall of a man which should not be seen as the end of his life.
Mr Obasanjo who spokeat the party rebranding meeting held in the state capital, Abeokuta,said the Ogun chapter of the PDP only staggered at the 2011 polls and was prepared to reclaim the lost glory in 2015.
“We just staggered at the last polls, but we didn’t fall. Let us reviewour political plight; review is to make amends and with what I’m seeing here today, it shows that PDP is firm. This time around we must not sleep off,” he said.
The former president, however, noted that the party needed to avoid the traitors withinits fold. He also stressed that the party, at all levels, had work to do ahead of the next dispensation.
“I am happy with the turnout of our members, PDP is not tired, but we have load of work to do, all members must contribute effectively,” Mr Obasanjo said.
Seeking self-interest
The former governorship candidate of the party, Tunji Olurin, in his speech at the meeting noted that his efforts to reconcile the factions in the state arm of the party were thwarted by some forces who allowed their primordial interest to soar far above the larger interest of the party.
“What I have found distasteful is the capacity of one group trying to foist itself on us in such an unhealthy rat-race which can only permanently destabilisethe party as is being witnessed today,” Mr Olurin said. “Several times we came so closeto genuine reconciliation in the party, only for the hydra-headed monster of divisionism to rear its ugly head again and again.”
He recalled that he joined the party with high hopes and the belief that the party offered the best for the people in the political environment, adding that even beforehe made up his mind to pick the nomination form, he held several meetings with all identifiable factions that sprang up.(234nEXT)