Some suspended members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun have warned that the activities of the Adekunle Akindele-led caretaker committee could jeopardise the party’s chances at winning the 2023 presidential elections.
The members, who are from Ayedaade Local Government Area of the State, were suspended for alleged anti-party activities.
They are sympathisers of Dotun Babayemi, the suspended Osun PDP chieftain.
In a petition signed by Segun Odekunmi, the Secretary of the PDP Elders Forum in the State and seven other members, they warned of dire consequences of leaving the Osun PDP crisis unresolved.
The petition which was titled, “Re:Complaints Against the Illegal Suspension of Party Leaders from Ayedaade Local Government of Osun State By the State Caretaker Committee, Pursuant to Articles 57 & 61 of Peoples Democratic Party’s Constitution of 2017(Amended)”, was forwarded to Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP national chairman and all members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“Our party has the chance of winning all the elections at the next general elections only in the atmosphere of unity and mutual respect for one another. We hope the National Working Committee of our party will timeously intervene to correct this anomaly in the interest of the party so that this untoward action will not consume our party in the forthcoming elections,” they stated.
While accusing the Osun PDP caretaker committee of witch-hunting them because of their avowed support for the gubernatorial aspiration of Dotun Babayemi, they described the anti-party allegations slammed on them as baseless and ludicrous.
“We want to state clearly that the allegations were baseless and unfounded and cannot be substantiated with any material facts, by our traducers in the party. We say with all sense of responsibility that Prince Oyedotun Babayemi hails from our local government and we have a moral duty to support his ambition.
“Supporting Babayemi’s ambition never connoted anti-party. We have worked tirelessly and assiduously for the success of the party as we believed he would win at the law court.
“Suspending members of the party at a time the elections were drawing nearer is capable of creating doubts in the minds of PDP members and could adversely dim the chances of the party at the 2023 polls if not urgently addressed.”
The other signatories to the petition include: Adelani Ajanaku, Kehinde Adesiyan, Mayowa Adegboye, Aliyu Adeyanju, Kamorudeen Ojo Elegunmeje, Ajayi Solomon and Munurudeen Adekunle.
Dotun Babayemi, a factional gubernatorial candidate of the Osun PDP was expelled from the party for alleged anti-party activities.
His expulsion followed an earlier suspension slammed on him by the ward executive members of the PDP in Ayedaade Local Government Area of the State.
