Delegates’ List Manipulation Stalls Osun PDP Congress

• Sharafa Ishola Connection Meets Brickwall

By Kehinde Ayantunji

The crisis rocking Osun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new dimension, as the party could not proceed with the local government and state congresses in the state to elect the new executives due to the allegations of delegates, list manipulation, OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively gathered. 

PDP echelons in Senator Iyiola Omisore and Hon. Soji Adagunodo camps have shifted the battle to the national Secretariat of the party in the struggle for the leadership of the party ahead of the September Gubernatorial election in the state.

OSUN DEFENDER during the week learnt that the Adagunodo-led faction rejected the list from the national secretariat over alleged manipulation of delegates’ list that emerged from the last inconclusive ward congress of the party in the state.

The faction alleged the former Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Sharafadeen Ishola, a former Minister for Mines and Steel, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, of manipulating the list in favour of Dr Bayo Faforijin faction, where Omisore belongs.

A source from the national secretariat of the party told our correspondent that the status of the delegates’ list has stalled further action on the congress and make the reconcilliation efforts to be a deadlock.

The source who pleaded anonymity said, “I can confirm that the national Party Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus met with the leadership of the two factions last week, but there are three main contending issues, first was the withdrawal of the court case instituted by Adagunodo-led faction to validate their leadership which has been done with a demand that the authentic delegates’ list produced through the last congress must be accepted for the local government and state congresses.

“This demand was accepted by the party leadership, but it was discovered later that the list has been doctored by Sharafa Ishola caretaker committee in favour of Senator Omisore/ Faforijin camp and this has in turn triggered another crisis.

“Another contending issue is the conduct of ward congress in the remaining 98 wards that were disrupted during the last ward congress. Adagunodo faction is insisting that the congress must be concluded but Omisore /Faforijin faction is insisting that the list submitted by Sharafa Ishola, the ex-caretaker committee head should be adopted.”

Meanwhile, a party leader from the state who was also part of the meeting confirmed to OSUN DEFENDER that the party national leadership has written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce the Certify True Copy (CTC) of the delegates’ list obtained during the last congress as a neutral agency.

However, it is not certain whether Omisore camp will accept the list from INEC or not, as they are still insisting that the list submitted to the party by the former caretaker chairman should be adopted for the congresses.

As at the time of filing this report, it could not be confirmed if the INEC headquarters has released the list to the party.

It would be recalled that following the reconcilliatory moves made by the national leadership of the party, led by Secondus, the Adagunodo faction last Wednesday withdrew a suit seeking enforcement of judgement against the party.

The litigation before the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo was instituted against the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee last year with intent to validate the congress of the elected executives of the party under Hon. Adagunodo.

Holding brief for the plaintiffs, Chief Nathaniel Oke (SAN), who confirmed the withdrawal of the case while addressing the court said, “the case was filed during the tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee with intent to validate the congress of the elected executives of the party under Adagunodo.