All may not be well with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State as stalwarts of the party have started resigning, even as cracks in the leadership have been reported.
Few days after a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Momohjimoh Lawal resigned, another stalwart of the party, Hon. M.I. Onimisi has also tendered his resignation.
Onimisi who contested the senatorial ticket of the party in the central senatorial district of the state, noted he was betrayed.
“I joined PDP in the year 2008 in the hope of creating a political power that will serve the need of my people, where all the people are treated equally regardless of colour. religion or income but unfortunately, this was not the case and I can not longer stand by and watch helplessly.
“It is disheartening to know that all my effort has never been appreciated by the party leadership both in the state and national level. I have suffered betrayal and gross injustice and I have waited patiently for wrongs to be corrected, yet nothing was done.
“Therefore, for the reason stated above, I hereby resign from the party (PDP) effective from today. I wish everyone the best in the future and hope for a better Kogi State,” he said.
Also recall that, visibly aggrieved members of state non-working committee of the party leadership in the state rose from a State Executive Committee meeting in Lokoja on Wednesday calling for urgent intervention to save the party from collapse.
An insider source disclosed to newsmen that the meeting started and ended in a not-too-friendly note, adding that there is a sharp division between the 14-member state working committee and the 36-member non working committee of the party.
Chairman of non -Working Committee of the PDP State Executive Council, Otunba Kingsley Mokikan, who we learnt spoke on behalf of the non- working committee members in the meeting, decried the lackluster approach of the Uhuotu-led executive in running the party.
Mokikan explained that the meeting was convened at the instance of the state chairman to review the outcome of last presidential and national assembly election in the state.
He, however, expressed concern that the state chairman and other key members of the state working committee failed to attend the meeting.
“We don’t have confidence in them that they want progress of the party in Kogi state.
“We are calling for an emergency meeting within next 7 days. We are calling on the state chairman to come and explain why he has damaged the party we love so much.
“The last time we met was in March last year. Based on the constitution of PDP, the state working committee are expected to hold meeting at least twice in a month. The non-working committee are to meet at least once in a quarter. There is already a breach of the constitution.
“We never met to discuss issues affecting the party. Since last year, we were not called for meeting. Before the primary elections, no meeting. Before the campaigns, no meeting was called. Before the last elections, no meeting.
“The failure of the party is that of the leadership,” he said.
