Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, has advised Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, the newly-elected National Vice-Chairman, South-West, to instill more discipline in the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Arapaja, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State emerged the South-West National Vice-chairman of the PDP on Monday at the party’s Zonal Delegates’ Congress held in Osogbo.
Speaking on the task ahead of Arapaja and the newly constituted zonal executive, Pearse, a University of Lagos Lecturer, told NAN that the new zonal chairman must reward hard work and dedication.
“They must instill discipline in the party. Hard work and dedication should be rewarded and laziness and distrust punished.
“No member or leader is above the party. The party’s constitution must be respected at all times,” said Pearse, a 2019 Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State.
He said that Arapaja and the newly elected zonal executive members had their duties well cut out for them.
The PDP stalwart said that the narrow margin with which Arapaja won the zonal delegates’ congress election on April 12 was evidence of the deep division in the zone.
“The new zonal chairman must do all he can to reconcile dissident members but he must also weed out double agents within the party.
“There are too many people in positions of authority in the zone who are working for the opposition.
“These people are not concerned about the zoning formula of the National PDP. Arapaja should take a tour of the zone in order to assess his support and opposition,” he said.
Pearse, however, said that Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Arapaja had both established reputations as gentlemen politicians, saying that “nonetheless, where treachery exits, heads must roll”.
Arapaja defeated Dr Eddy Olafeso, the immediate past National Vice-Chairman (South-West) with 13 votes, after scoring 343 votes while Olafeso polled 330 votes. (NAN)
