The political climate in Kogi State is intensifying as stakeholders from Kogi East have voiced strong opposition to the actions of the caretaker chairman, Senator Danjuma Lah, and his secretary, Senator Philip Aruwa Gyunka, for allegedly imposing their preferred candidates on the party in anticipation of the upcoming state congress.
The opposition comes from party elders across nine local government areas in Kogi East and Kogi West, united under the Kogi PDP Elders Forum. They are resolutely rejecting efforts by Lah and Gyunka to hand control of the party structure to former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye and his associates.
Thepaan has learned that the stakeholders accuse this group of scheming to marginalize Kogi East’s participation within the party and manipulating it for personal political gain, as evidenced in the recent gubernatorial election.
Read Also: Fayose Dismisses Claims Of Defection, Pledges Loyalty To PDP
The elders assert that since Lah’s appointment as caretaker chairman, his primary objective has been to ensure Melaye’s dominance over the party structure. They allege plans are in place to allocate 80 percent of the state executive positions to Melaye’s nominees, including Capt. Joe Agada, who is purportedly being set up to challenge the decisions made by Kogi East stakeholders.
In a statement, the party elders declared: “We will not be provoked to leave the party, but we will resist and reject their plots. We call on the national headquarters to quickly expedite the exit of Danjuma Lah and his secretary from the state as they have failed woefully. PDP leadership under their watch is a colossal failure and unable to even issue a statement to condemn the abnormality in the state.”
They further accused Lah and Gyunka of being Melaye’s nominees, claiming that this faction is determined to maintain their grip on the party structure for personal gain.
The situation has sparked significant tensions within the party, with numerous members expressing concerns over these perceived attempts to hijack the party’s structure. The state congress is expected to take place soon, and the stakeholders are demanding a free and fair election that genuinely reflects the will of the party members.
The Kogi PDP Elders Forum has called on the national headquarters to intervene, ensuring that the state congress is conducted transparently and democratically, without external interference. They warned that any attempt to impose candidates on the party could trigger a crisis with far-reaching consequences for the party in the state.
