Uproar in PDP over alleged plans by Saraki to return to the party

macfranc007 February 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Omotayo Yusuf

- The PDP in Kwara said it will welcome the return of Saraki

- The party however said the Senate president will not be allowed to tinker with its structure

- It said it will concede on issues that have not been resolved

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the alleged return of Bukola Saraki to the party.

Leadership reports that the Kwara state chapter of the PDP said it was worried that the Senate president might want to take over the leadership structure of the party.

Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo who is the state chairman of the PDP reportedly stormed the national secretariat to meet with Uche Secondus and warned against Saraki taking over the party structure.

He said the party would welcome the return of Saraki but would not allow his tinker with decisions that have already been made.

He said: “Our party is not all that apprehensive. We are apprehensive of what the national leadership can do to welcome somebody who had gone away from the party and later given a royal welcome.

“It is not Saraki’s coming that creates any fear. It is what the national executive can do to encourage him to seize the party structure from established people in Kwara state.

“But we have been assured that the era of impunity is gone. That’s the much our National Chairman told us.

“So, we are so glad that even if anybody comes into our party, we are really not against anybody coming into our party, but whoever comes, must respect the structure in the ground and cooperate with us appropriately.”

“We will welcome Saraki with open hands if he comes to be part of the party and we don’t have any issue on the executive. We can’t say somebody should not join our party.

“In plain language, the executive that is on ground constitutionally, was elected for four years and parties are always in anticipation for new people to join the party.

“You cannot because some people have joined, you should now dismantle the structure of the party.

“So, if they come and want to be part of the process, they are welcome, and the only people that can open the gate for them sometimes illegally, might be people that are high up.

“But we have been assured by those people that there will be nothing like that. So, anybody that will add value to our party is welcome.”

The state chairman said the party would make concession on issues that decisions have not been taken yet on.

“We are ready to make concession on what we have not decided on.

“What they meet, now they met the executive on ground, and we cannot remove the chairman for them or the Treasurer.

“If we have not done the primary for governorship, House of Assembly, Senatorial, Presidential, for example, if Saraki says he wants to contest for the president, we cannot deny him (nomination) form.

“And if he wants to return to the Senate, we will give him form and other people too.

“So, we are ready to allow them on issues that have not been settled. But issues that are settled are for four years.”

NAIJ.com had reported that Alhaji Abdulfatah, Kwara state governor, dismissed claims that he is planning to return to the PDP which he left with some other chieftains of the party before the 2015 general elections.

This was made known to news men through the governor's senior special assistant on media and communications, Muyideen Akorede, in Ilorin on Tuesday, January 30, Vanguard reports.

The governor noted that Saraki and other political leaders in Kwara have no intention or reason to return to the PDP or join any other political party unless they are asked to do so by supporters.

How Kwara state governor is changing the face of the state on NAIJ.com TV