Appellate court verdict: Fatola hails Wike, Gbolarumi as PDP leadership crisis ends

By Seyifunmi Odunuga 

​The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ibadan North-West/South-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Samson Opeyemi Fatola, has hailed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, and the Oyo State PDP gubernatorial flagbearer, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, following the Court of Appeal judgment that resolved the party's leadership crisis.

​You will recall that the appellate court sitting in Abuja recently dismissed an appeal challenging a previous Federal High Court ruling on the party's leadership structure, effectively validating the current administrative setup.

​Reacting to the judicial outcome in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the House of Representatives candidate, popularly known as "Te s'oju e," described the verdict as a historic milestone that marks the definitive end of the prolonged leadership friction within the main opposition party.

​Fatola showered encomiums on Barrister Nyesom Wike, describing the FCT Minister as the national leader of the party both in Nigeria and the Diaspora, whose steadfastness helped preserve the party's core structure.

​He equally used the medium to congratulate Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, praising the Oyo State PDP gubernatorial flagbearer for his exceptional leadership role and political sagacity in piloting the affairs of the party and maintaining absolute stability within the Oyo State chapter during the tumultuous legal battle.

​The National Assembly hopeful also highly commended the National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) for their resilience and commitment throughout the grueling legal process.

​According to him, the resolution of the leadership tussle is a well-deserved victory for democracy and a direct triumph for the people of Oyo State, clearing the legal fog that had previously slowed down party operations.

​Fatola, therefore, urged all members of the Peoples Democratic Party to drop past grievances and come together as one indivisible family. He stressed that total reconciliation is now critical to ensure that the PDP moves forward with a united front to sweep all elective positions across the state in the upcoming general elections.

​While reaffirming his unalloyed loyalty to the validated party leadership, the PDP candidate expressed total confidence in their capacity to heal internal fractures, consolidate current stability, and strategically reposition the PDP for sweeping electoral successes ahead of future polls.