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New Page 13
Ladoja, Adedibu resolve rift at
last
MATTHEW OGWUCHE,
Bureau Chief, Abuja
PEACE has
finally returned to the crisis-torned Oyo State chapter of the PDP.
Governor Ladoja and Alhaji Adedibu
embraced themselves at the end of the meeting. Gov. Ladoja reportedly called
Alhaji Adedibu his political father and Adedibu in turn called Ladoja his
political son.
PDP Chairman Chief Audu Ogbeh said the
issue has been resolved.
As the gladiators in the crisis rocking
Oyo State arrived Abuja yesterday Chief Ogbeh admitted that the feud is a
distraction to the party.
In his opening remarks at the meeting,
Ogbeh enjoined the warring politicians, to speak frankly, but politely while
stating their grievances.
Ogbeh’s words of caution were preceded by
the deployment of two lorry loads of heavily armed mobile policemen on standby
at the PDP national secretariat, as a pre-emptive move against possible thuggery.
Ogbeh lamented that the unhealthy
development in Oyo PDP had detracted from the party’s ability to address the
serious issues of governance in the state, such as education, health and others.
Chief Adeojo, who with Alhaji Adedibu were
recently expelled by the state branch of the PDP for alleged subversion. Adedibu
described the expulsion as the biggest joke of the year.
The National Working Committee (NWC) which
met last week in Abuja, over the feud, had summoned the trio to the party’s
national headquarters to hear from them and possibly take a decision on the
matter.
The NWC, while summoning them, warned them
not to bring thugs to the meeting.
Apparently leaving nothing to chance, the
party secured the mobile policemen in case those summoned failed to heed the
warning.
The policemen in combat gear were deployed
from as early as 6.00am yesterday in strategic locations around the party
secretariat.
National Chairman of PDP, Chief Ogbeh and
the members of the NWC were at the meeting.
Bad blood between Gov Ladoja and Alhaji
Adedibu, started not quite long after the government was inaugurated on May 29
last year.
Adedibu accused the governor of running a
one-man show since he assumed office.
According to him, Gov. Ladoja had failed
to acknowledge the "hard work" and contributions of those, including himself (Adedibu),
who ensured his election victory.
Promising to fight the governor, Adedibu
said only consultation with him (Adedibu) over sharing of government offices
would bring peace
A test case of muscle flexing between the
personalities came during the last local government elections as supporters of
both men clashed.
At a peace meeting last month held in
Premier Hotel, Ibadan, and called by the PDP national leadership, supporter of
both politicians again clashed with several persons again injured.
Subsequently, the state branch of the PDP
expelled Adedibu and Adeojo even as the party’s national leadership appeared
divided over the decision which the branch said was irrevocable.
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