S’West Deserves National Chairman – Babatope

Chief Ebenezer Babatope is a former Minister of Transport and member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The South-West leaders meeting that took place in Akure last week said in order for us not to disrupt the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we should accept the zoning as it was done by the party.

And since they have agreed that there would be a mid-term election next year, we should leave everything till that time. I took part in the meeting and signed the communiqué. But I must confess to you; that I do not hold that opinion but since I have taken part in decision taken, so be it.

But if anything happens, I will be very happy. I will never leave the argument that South-West must have the national chairmanship. I will never leave that argument because since the inception of the PDP in 1998, South-West has not held the position of national chairman of the party.

We are the only zone in the country that has not held the position. At present, some PDP leaders are not in support of South-West producing the national chairman but all of us who are championing the course for South-West taking the position of the national chairmanship are still as solid as the rock of Gibraltar.

But it is just that we do not want to denied the activities of the two South-West PDP governors, who inspired the Wednesday meeting in Akure. We have not changed our position; we maintain and still believe that the chairmanship must come to South-West.

But since we are now saying let us defer it till next year; that is what is holding us back. Some people have called meeting of PDP stakeholders in Abuja on Thursday and they are likely to ask Modu Sheriff to go.