South-west PDP meet and agrees on candidate for Speaker post

The South-West Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} Thursday evening endorsed Ajibola Saubana Muraina to replace the out-going Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole in the next legislative session.

The resolution to endorse 47-year-old Mr Muraina, (Ibarapa central, Oyo State) took place at the party elders caucus meeting held at the residence of former president and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital. The lawmaker, who trained as a lawyer, was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2007.

The PDP recently agreed that the southwest retains the post of Speaker while the holder of the post, Dimeji Bankole lost his re-election bid last month.

The meeting, which had in attendance all former and outgoing PDP governors of the South west, excluding the Ogun state governor, Gbenga Daniel, also deliberated on the crisis in the party within the region. While the meeting was on-going, Mr Daniel was at a government function few meters away from the venue where he was commissioning the OPIC building located in Oke-Ilewo area of the town.

Mr Muraina's choice was linked to his experience as a member of the House, as it is believed that politicking within the house will not be strange to him. A source said there was no opposition to his choice, as he was described as level headed and a responsible party member.

Other contentious issue that was addressed at the meeting was how to prosecute the appeals instituted by the party against some recently declared election results in the region that are presently before the Election Petitions Tribunal.

However, Chairman of the South west PDP, Tajudeen Oladipo declined comments on the purpose of the meeting, advising journalists to speak with Mr Obasanjo.

Former Ekiti State governor, Segun Oni however told journalists that the meeting was "only a continuation of the past meetings on how to move the party forward."