Osun PDP primary: Adeleke, Ogunbiyi trade words

By Akinwande Soji-Ojo

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Osun State, loyal to Senator Ademola Adeleke, has described the Osun State High Court judgement nullifying the delegate congress of the party, held on February 23, as a joke. 

The faction’s Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Oluwabamiji, who stated this at a press briefing in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, over the weekend, said nobody could prevent the group from participating in the party’s governorship primary.

Recall that the Osun State High Court, sitting in Ijebu-IJesa, had last Thursday, nullified the PDP ward congress held on February 23 in the state.

The court, presided over by Justice A. Aderigbigbe, while ruling on an exparte motion brought before it by some elected ward chairmen of the party, said the ward congress held by the Soji Adagunodo-led State Working Committee on September 25, 2021, is the only valid congress, hence, the delegates elected from the congress are eligible to vote at the party’s primary on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.

But Oluwabamiji insisted that such injunction does not hold water, as far as the faction is concerned.

He said: “We have a Supreme Court declaration that the court cannot dabble in the affair of a political party. We know that some elements in the party are trying to carry out a hatchet job for the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

“We have already moved ahead of their antics. The national body of our party will react to that. We will handle it and react appropriately. 

“We are going ahead with our primaries on Tuesday. I can only advise the national body of our party which conducts delegate congresses, including the one in question to be firm with it decision. The party leadership in Osun State does not manufacture delegates. The national body will come with the appropriate list.” 

He maintained that the Appal Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, had already adjudicated over the matter, nullifying the congress held by the former party chairman.

Reacting to Oluwabamiji’s claims, the faction loyal to one of the contestants in the primary election, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, in a statement, hailed the judgement of the Osun State High Court.

The statement signed by Mr. Tolulope A jay I, the media aide of the Akin Ogunbiyi group read: “We at the Akin Ogunbiyi political group in Osun State salutes the courage, fairness and the wisdom of Osun State High court sitting in Ijebu-ijesha which has granted an order of mandatory injunction recognising ward executive officers elected under former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo, as the authentic officers permitted to vote as delegate at the forthcoming governorship primaries of the PDP.

“We have always believed that the Nigeria judiciary has indeed come of age.Gone are the days of fear and undue anxiety as we have the best of men and women in the Nigerian judiciary who dispense justices with fairness, courage and unmatched wisdom.”