Ladoja plan to wade into Fayose, Makinde feud

Emmanuel AmudaFebruary 17, 2021

0 3 minutes read

Following the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in South-West zone, the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has agreed to wade into the feud between Governor Seyi Makinde and a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.

It can be recalled that Makinde and Fayose has been in the news in the past months over the leader of the party in South west.

The battle, which has lingered for some months, had even recently seen the aides of the two engaging in a war of words on social media.

Makinde, who is the only PDP governor and automatic leader of the party in the South-West, has been involved in a bitter row with Fayose over the soul of the party in the zone.

Fayose recently said he is qualified to be referred to as the father of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

Fayose who speaks on Channels Television programme ‘Sunday Politics’, monitored by Newsflash, he said why he respects Makinde by virtue of his position, he is a leader to the Oyo governor by virtue of seniority, having been elected as governor in 2003 when Makinde was 32 years old.

He said Makinde cannot claim to be his leader just like Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cannot claim to be the leader of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos or Governor Nyesom Wike claiming to be the leader of former Rivers state governor, Peter Odili.

“I am not into any leadership struggle with Governor Makinde but the fact is, Governor Makinde cannot come out and say he is my leader. He is not.

“The fact is that if my son is coming and he is a governor, I have to get up because it is the norm.

“The gentleman is a governor and I must respect his office.

“Governor Makinde by all standards is the only PDP governor in the South West.

“But all South-South PDP governors, who is their leader? Because he is the only one we have I used to be like that but I never said to anyone, I am the leader of the west. But if he wants to be addressed like that, it is okay”.

“Is Governor Sanwo-Olu the leader of Asiwaju in Lagos? Is Ambode the leader of Tinubu in Lagos? Or Governor Wike is the leader of Odili? That language we have to choose it.

“Governor Makinde will probably be 32 years when I was governor in 2003”.

But in the latest development, the former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja, has agreed to a peace meeting starting with Fayose and his group.

The parley will be held in Ibadan, the state capital, anytime from now, source reports.

An enlarged meeting involving more stakeholders is to follow the meeting between the two former governors.

An impeccable source gathered that there was a telephone conversation between Ladoja and Fayose lasting about half an hour on the crisis, Nigerian Tribune reports.

Ladoja, it was gathered, asked Fayose during the telephone chat, “Why are you fighting my son [Governor Seyi Makinde].”

The former Ekiti State governor was said to have responded thus, “Baba, I, Ayo Fayose, cannot call myself your [Ladoja’s] leader. It is not possible.”

It was gathered that the first leg of the meeting would have been held on Friday last week, but for the unavailability of Ladoja in Ibadan.

Ogun State chairman of the PDP and chairman of the South-West chairmen, Dr Sikirulai Ogundele, confirmed the meeting to Tribune Online.

“I can confirm to you that something of that nature took place.

“In fact, we would have held the meeting in Ibadan last Friday. But we were told Baba Ladoja was not available. Now that we were told he is back, the meeting will surely hold,” he said.