PDP To Oyinlola: We’ve Sinned Against You, Please Forgive Us
Like prodigal son in the Bible who after squandering his portion of inheritance returned to beg for forgiveness, the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Caretaker Committee in Osun, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Sarafadeen Ali, on Monday visited the former National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to apologise to him, and asked for Oyinlola’s forgiveness.
The delegation who was at the former governor’s country home, Okuku, said they have not come to lure him back to the party but to seek his forgiveness.
“The decision to be a member of any party is a personal one and we respect that decision of yours.
“Our mission is to come and ask for forgiveness, that you forgive us in your heart and we admit that what happened to you was an injustice and an error,” he said.
In his response, Oyinlola said he cherished the visit, saying he felt concerned that issues went the way they went during his last days in the PDP despite all his efforts to ensure the unity of the party was protected.
He said the reign of indiscipline and impunity within the PDP led to his exit, as well as the series of crises within the party and the division that later resulted in the electoral setback for the party.
“I want to say that I did everything humanly possible to make sure that the division did not come from me.
“I went to the extent of writing to the leadership of the party, the then Mr President, to draw his attention to the issues that were eroding on the unity of the party but it seemed my own sincerity about the whole issues were misconstrued,” he said.
The former governor, who said he felt vindicated by the visit and the apologies tendered, asked politicians to rub minds together and exploit all avenues of peaceful resolution of conflict.
He said, “I want to take a recourse to the Bible which says, ‘if your brother transgresses, rebuke him; if he repents, forgive him’.
“it is on that score that I want to say I have forgiven and forgotten all that was done to me.”
Oyinlola, however, said he was happy that the PDP chieftains said they respected his decision to choose the party he wished to belong.
He also used the occasion to also introduce some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state who joined him to receive the PDP delegation.
The former governor further advised politicians in the country to always work for the progress of the country, irrespective of the side of the political divide they belonged.
According to him, political affiliation of politicians may differ but the delivery of democracy dividends to the people must be their priority.
Other PDP leaders in the entourage include Oyinlola’s former deputy governor, Olusola Obada, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adejare Bello, and former member of the National Population Commission, Lere Oyewumi, among others.
