Muka Popoola has emerged as the new chairman of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) in Lagos State.
Mr Popoola, along with 38 other state executive members, emerged by consensus at the state elective congress in Ikeja.
The election of the committee members was affirmed by a voice vote by delegates.
Meanwhile, the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP NWC had, on February 27, similarly inaugurated new state, local government area, and ward executive committees of its faction in the state.
The Wike-backed factional NWC is led by Abdulrahman Mohammed as national chairman, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu serving as national secretary.
Speaking, the chairman of the Wike-backed congress, Olalekan Rotimi, who applauded delegates for their peaceful conduct, said the adoption of consensus to pick leaders would strengthen party unity.
“Unanimously and by consensus, everybody has agreed on who should lead the state executive council,” Mr Rotimi said.
According to him, other members of the state executive committee that emerged via consensus include Kayode Ogunbiyi (deputy chairman), Disu Omotola (secretary), Kehinde Olojede (woman leader), Olalekan Odufolakun (youth leader), and Phillips Adebiyi (publicity secretary).
Others are Hakeem Olalemi (organising secretary), Morgan Onyeoma (financial secretary), Kate Onyechere (treasurer), Desmond Agbo (legal adviser), and Adio Salami (state auditor).
Also elected are Fatai Adele (state vice chairman, west), Adekogbe Taiwo (state vice chairman, east), and Soji Orioye (state vice chairman, central).
On the PDP’s national leadership crisis, Mr Rotimi said that although grievances were inevitable in any association, reconciliation efforts were ongoing.
“We are very optimistic as a family that with the elders involved in the reconciliation, all of that will be resolved,” he said.
Speaking further on the consensus arrangement, Mr Rotimi added, ”Once we agree among ourselves as we have done in choosing leaders, everything will be easy, and we will win.”
Also speaking, Adedeji Doherty, the deputy national secretary of the factional NWC, said the new state executives must promote the party’s ideals and vision and sell it to the grassroots.
Mr Doherty, a former state PDP chairman and governorship candidate who represented the national chairman, said the congress aimed to reinvent the party and reposition it ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that the party had been under the “bondage” of some leaders in the state, but was now free from their control.
Mr Doherty added that ward and local government congresses had earlier been successfully conducted in the state.
“We have consulted and met with leaders of the party in various councils, and we have come up with a unity list. We appreciated this decision from across the local governments. We are moving forward to win,” he stated.
He said the list was inclusive, accommodating more women, youths and non-indigenes.
“With this exco and the composition, we will be able to withstand any wind in the state,” Doherty said.
Speaking on the legality of the congress, Mr Doherty said the Turaki-led faction could not build something on nothing.
“This congress has its legality in the highest order,” he claimed.
He added that a recent Appeal Court ruling had indirectly authenticated the Wike-backed group and urged party loyalists to align genuinely and transparently.
Also speaking, former House of Representatives member Tajudeen Obasa said, “Who says PDP is dead? It is the enemy of the party that is dead.
“PDP cannot die. We are going to feature candidates in all elective positions and win in 2027. Whether they like it or not, we are waxing stronger.”
Earlier, Mr Ogunbiyi, chairman of the party’s state caretaker committee, whose tenure ended with the congress, thanked party leaders for the opportunity to serve.
Responding on behalf of the new executive, Mr Popoola thanked Mr Wike and the National Caretaker Working Committee and pledged to serve diligently.
“We are going to work as a team and deliver as a team with the support of all. There is work to be done. PDP will challenge the ruling party in Lagos,” he said.
(NAN)
