I have read with great concern several complaints on the Organization and management of the Lagos campaign of our presidential candidate H.E, Atiku Abubakar held on Monday at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
As someone who has also been involved in such events of the party in the past, I was particularly unhappy that logistics did not go as planned by the organizers, thereby leaving several people stranded at the points they were supposed to board buses to the venue of the rally.
Besides, some party members who defied all odds to get to the venue also complained of lack of adequate plan to cater for their refreshment despite staying hours in the scorching sun of the TBS.
Concerned by the plight of our members, I made frantic calls to some members of the PCC, who offered explanation and apology for the logistical hitches experienced by some members.
From the information I got, while a member of the PCC in Lagos, Hon Rahman Owokoniran, wanted the process to be centralized to ensure that the funds for the logistics and welfare of the people coming for the rally got to the people directly involved, another member, Hon. Abayomi Kuye, argued that it was better to decentralize the process to ensure a seamless exercise. While the former was suing for probity, the latter, according to him, took his learnings from the benefit of history of such events of the party in the past noting that decentralization would help to ensure inclusiveness and a sense of belonging for leaders at the grassroots.
Eventually, the PCC opted for a centralization of the process and the result was that the task was overwhelming to those assigned to provide the logistics.
While they offered their apology for the inconveniences, I advised the team to decentralize their operations in order to ensure inclusiveness and fairness to all from top to bottom of the party excos at all levels.
Thereafter, I got assurances from them that the PCC would assuage the concerns of affected members by reimbursing those members who made alternative arrangement on their own or couldn’t get the planning committee’s refreshment as provided for. I can authoritatively confirm that the ward chairmen have been paid today(Dec 6, 2022). Therefore, I urge any member who didn’t get his or her stipend that was supposed to be paid out yesterday to reach out their ward chairmen for the money.
Similarly, in view of the foregoing, I hereby apologize to all PDP members who suffered one inconvenience or the other as a result of the logistical hitches.
Let us stand and remain united as a party.
PDP! Power!
Segun Adewale (Aeroland)