The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State on Saturday held its congress to elect new leaders for the party.
The exercise which was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta was peaceful.
It was conducted by the PDP National Caretaker Committee and five-member state congress committee.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were also on hand to monitor the exercise.
Mr. Eddie Olafeso, chairman of the state congress committee, in his opening remarks, said that the PDP National Caretaker Committee had directed that the state caretaker committee should hands off the exercise.
He explained that the conduct of the congress was in line with the provisions of the PDP constitution.
He described the exercise as the first step to victory for the party in the 2019 governorship election in the state.
A total of 31 leaders were elected as the new state executive committee members with Mr. Sikirulai Ogundele emerging as the chairman.
Ogundele, who addressed newsmen after the exercise commended the organisers for the peaceful conduct, saying that it was devoid of rancour.
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He assured members that he would run an open administration and reach out to all aggrieved members of the party to reunite them and strengthen the PDP in Ogun.
“I to thank the Almighty God that has made it possible for us to have a very successful state congress.
“My emergence, no doubt, will bring all aggrieved members with one grouse or the other back to the party, and I see this congress putting an end to the problems of PDP in Ogun.
“Having emerged as the chairman of the PDP in Ogun, I intend to run an open government and open party administration.
“We will run an all inclusive and a united PDP, administration that will encourage members of other parties to join the PDP.
“We intend to extend hand of fellowships to members that are aggrieved and also to extend hand of goodwill to members of other parties.
”I don’t have any doubt in my mind that we will put an end to the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun,” he said.
A chieftain of the party, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, who is representing Remo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, told newsmen that PDP had forgot the pains of the past and had become united in the state.
He gave assurance that PDP would emerge as the ruling party in the 2019 governorship elections in the state and would provide a good administration with humane policies in Ogun.
(NAN)
