A recent review of the official website of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has revealed no connection between the institution and the Democracy Polling Agency.
This comes after the group had, in a report released to some reporters and bloggers, claimed to be an affiliate of OAU, a development that was outrightly not seen on the OAU website.
The group in a snippet of the report of a survey it purportedly conducted from the period of August to October 2024, on the state of political parties in Osun, said the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), had split into two halves with the Omoluabi faction holding roughly 45 percent of the old APC membership with the remaining about 60 percent being with the Oyetola faction tagged Ilerioluwa group.
It also said that from the period covered by the survey, the 60 percent share of the APC for Oyetola has dwindled by close to 45 %, adding that from across the three senatorial districts, the Oyetola faction of the APC has suffered torrents of decamping which may continue even as the survey was rounded up by October ending.
The report said respondents who left the APC mostly moved to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party whose membership swelled by more than 40 percent within the period under review.
READ: OAU Denies Affiliation With Bogus Group, Democracy Polling Agency
Reasons cited for the mass exodus in the report from respondents’ reactions include – the impressive performance of the Osun Governor, the rigidity of state APC leadership to reconciliation moves, the slow response of Mr. Oyetola to discontinue his guber bid, the worsening economic climate and series of disasters that had befallen the party leadership in some local governments.
The check, conducted to verify the status of organisations affiliated with the university, found that the Democracy Polling Agency was not listed among the recognized institutions or groups linked to OAU.
“OAU is a University. We can’t have any affiliation with any democratic or autocratic group. That is not true,” the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju told Osun Defender’s reporter when contacted.
Osun Defender also observed the non-existence of the group anywhere on the web.
The absence of the Democracy Polling Agency from the university’s records raises questions about the origin and legitimacy of the reports suggesting a partnership.
As it stands, no formal documentation has been presented to verify the alleged connection.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
