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The Oyo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday held parallel state congresses and ended up electing two chairmen from each faction.
While the faction loyal to the former governor of the State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja held its congress at the Watershed event centre, Old Ife Road, the other faction loyal to the former leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola Akande held its own at Baptist Secondary School, Oke Ado in Ibadan.
Ladoja faction elected Chief Kunmi Mustapha as the state chairman while the faction loyal to Akande elected Jacob Adetoro as chairman.
Reports said representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) attended the two congresses.
Former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarunmi and and a leader of the party, Mr. Dare Adekanbi told Daily Trust that
The Akande faction, which had former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarunmi and former SDP governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde, said the crisis was as a result of the political gimmicks of the former governor of the state, Senator Rasidi Ladoja to win all the executive members to his side. A meeting to broker peace which lasted for over five hours between the two groups was fruitless.
Those at the Oke-Ado congress include: Makinde, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Hon. Oluyemi Taiwo Hon. Tirimisiyu Okunola, and Hon. Dare Adeleke.
Other chieftains of the party at Old Ife road are two former Ministers; Wole Oyelese and Jumoke Akinjide, Senators; Femi Lanlehin, Ayoade Adeseun, Gbenga Babalola, Dr. Saka Balogun, Hameed Gbadamosi, Chief Alli Oyedeji, Olayiwola Olakojo, Dr. Muraina Ajibola and a host of others.