Onitiri alleges PDP structure hijacked by APC in Lagos, urges caution

The Lagos Central Senatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, yesterday alleged that the state’s party structure had been hijacked by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He, therefore, urged the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to urgently wade into the matter before it snowballs into a crisis, which might tear the party apart.

Onitiri said the future of Lagos State PDP was already bleak and very discouraging, noting that the ruling APC, through its hatchet man, had commandeered the state chapter with the influx of APC members at the venue of the just-concluded gubernatorial primaries.

According to him, thousands of known APC members allegedly took over the venue of the PDP primary election through a governorship aspirant, whom he said, joined the party six months ago.

He said: “That indeed was a day many old PDP members would live to remember. What was most shocking was the man who said he came in peace. But within a short time, he had shown his true colours and plans to hijack the party’s structure.

“Delegates of the party were sidelined by the people that just came into the party a few months ago, in connivance with PDP leaders known for working against the party during elections.

“In spite of the state executive’s objection to the skewed ad-hoc delegates’ list, they forced their way to ensure that their candidate emerged winners, even with clear objections from all other aspirants.”

Onitiri, who claimed that the whole exercise was a complete sham and a charade, as it was predetermined and the committee only came to execute what he called personal agenda, said that the credibility of the gubernatorial primary was further eroded when four of the six contestants withdrew.

“There is obviously a grave problem in Lagos State PDP chapter. All the known stakeholders in the party have been sidelined,” he added.

“The ad-hoc delegates’ list brought to Lagos State was made to favour one candidate. It was a big fraud and total sell out. Definitely, our great party has been sold to APC. The 2023 elections will be APC versus APC in Lagos State and will greatly disappoint Lagosians who are desperately yearning for a change in the state. The elders in Lagos PDP unfortunately did not focused on victory. A pity!” he added.