Moves are underway to reconcile aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West so that the ruling party can once again regain being the leading party in the region.
The PDP lost it’s leadership role in the region after the 2011 elections, at the height of its power in the region, the party controlled five out of six states, but now reverse is the case, as the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) controls same number of states in the zone with the exception of Ondo, which is being governed by Labour Party.
Arrow heads of the new take over initiative have formed a caucus , named “The Network,” within the PDP.
Their mandate outside reconciling warring parties is to recapture power in the South West in 2015, starting with winning of governorship elections in both Ekiti and Osun States in 2014.
The group, on Sunday named the Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Hosea Agboola as its chairman and a former Defence Minister,Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) as its deputy chairman while a former Chairman of House Committee on Defence, Mr. Wole Oke, is to serve as the secretary.
Other officials of the group include Chief Olusola Oke (Chairman Committee on Political Strategy/Planning); Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (Chairman Committee on Contact and Mobilisation); Mr. Jide Adeniyi (Chairman Committee on Finance); Tolani Animashaun (Media and Publicity); and Yusuff Kunle (Secretariat/Protocol).
Some notable members of the group are Senator Ayo Arise, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, Chef Segun Ilori (Ekiti State); Senator Obanikoro, Dr. Ade Dosumu, Tolani Animashaun, Mr. Farihu Arebi (Lagos State); and Salimon Badiru, Mr Segun Awolowo and Mr. Kayode Amusan (Ogun State).
Apart from Kayode and Oke, others from Ondo State are Dr. Eddy Olafeso and Mr. Gbenga Elegbeleye (Ondo State); while Jide Adeniji, Oke, Olasoji Efuntayo are from Osun State.
Those from Oyo State are Agboola, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Mrs Olanrewaju Otiti and Yusuff Kunle.
The group, which is said to have the full backing of President Goodluck Jonathan, has Chief Olabode George as its patron while Federal Government appointees from the zone who are to serve as ex- officio members.
As a form of reaching out to enstraged members of the party in the zone, the group was said to have met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and would meet with others within the week.
The group, with other leaders of the party from the zone, had also met with the Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo.
A member of the group who spoke with journalists on condition of anonymity in Abuja on Sunday said, “ We are on the move already . We are meeting the leaders and we will soon address the public on our goals .
“The point to note however is that we stand for the well being of the South West within the framework of the PDP.”