By ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor and Toba Adedeji, Osogbo
The crisis bewildering the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Osun State took a turn for the worst yesterday as party members protested against alleged plan by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) backed gubernatorial candidate for the July 16th governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to name a former Local Government Area chairman, Kola Adewusi, from Ile-Ife, as his running mate.
Members of PDP in Ile-Ife trooped out to protest in rejection of the choice of Adewusi. In several video clips circulating on social media, members of the party were seen carrying placards with several inscriptions on them warning that if Adewusi is given the slot of Deputy Governor, it will endanger the chances of the party at the poll. Some party leaders who spoke to our correspondent on the development also confirmed the protest, urging members of the PDP in Osun State to remain calm.
The protesters claimed that Kola Adewusi who was chairman of Ife East LG during the administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was not friendly and refused to render help when necessary while in office. The choice of Adewusi, who also served as the Personal Assistant to Professor Wale Oladipo while the latter was the National Secretary of the PDP, was also described as an imposition by some party chieftains.
The Nation gathered that majority of the protesters belong to Adeleke’s Pathfinder Group across the four local government areas of Ifeland. Some party sources claimed that a prominent party leader of the PDP in the state is pushing for the nomination of Adewusi, who happens to be his cousin. “Many of our leaders here in Ife are against his choice. There are other better candidates like Albert Adeogun, who was Adeleke’s running mate in 2018.
“We also have Ropo Oyewole also from Ife here. He is a popular chieftain of our party that can be used as running mate. Eluwole, a former legislator too, is there and there is also our current representative at the National Assembly, Bimbo Ajenisoro. The PDP can choose from among all these people and save all of us from embarrassment and defeat as Ife people will not accept the imposition of Adewusi on them,” a party source said when contacted.
The Nation also gathered that some party leaders are kicking against the choice of Adewusi because of their fears that a Christian-Christian ticket will not be appreciated by the people of the state. “Adeleke is a Christian. So also is Adewusi. We must consider that seriously in deciding who our running mate is. But I can tell you that Adewusi has not been selected. He is still one of those being considered and the party will look at all issues before making a decision,” a member of the state executive committee of the PDP said on Saturday.
Some of the protesters threatened to support another town aside Ife to produce the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP rather than support the choice of Adewusi. When contacted, PDP’s Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Oluwabamiji, said those that are protesting are only acting on speculation because the party has not submitted any name to INEC. However, he noted that with the demonstration by the members, the party will do more consultation and engagement with stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Senator Ademola Adeleke on Saturday boasted that he is the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Osun State. An Osun State High Court in Ijebu-Jesa has affirmed Prince Dotun Babayemi as the candidate of PDP following two parallel primary elections of the party which led to the emergence of two candidates. A statement signed by Adeleke Campaign Organisation commended the party leadership under Iyorchia Ayu for honesty, transparency and fairness to all in the handling of the governorship primaries.
“Our leaders obeyed and enforced the party constitution irrespective of whoever was involved. The leadership rejected a frantic bid to disenfranchise us. The NWC insisted on due process and tradition. I am a product of due compliance with PDP and Nigeria’s constitution. By law and tradition, I remain the flagbearer of our great party and I am ready with God and men to lead PDP to victory.”
Adeleke argued that the ongoing legal tussle is not an unusual occurrence adding that those who headed to court and those who filed appeal petitions are only exercising their rights.