Osun: PDP NWC Denies Endorsing Adeleke For 2022

The National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has distanced itself from the “purported” adoption of Senator Ademola Adeleke, its gubernatorial candidate in the September 22 elections in Osun State as the party consensus candidate for the 2022 governorship race.

Barely five days after the party lost the state governorship tussle before the Supreme Court, some leaders and few members of the party had converged on the erstwhile candidate’s country home in Ede, Osun State for a Thanksgiving programme and subsequently adopted him as the anointed candidate of the party for 2022 governorship election.

Revealing how the decision was made, Mr Oladele Bamiji quoted Prince Diran Odeyemi, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP as saying, “I hereby declare no vacancy in Osun on behalf of Prince Uche Secondus.

Mr Oladele who seems to be pleased with the adoption stated further that Dr Peter Babalola set the table for the decision and quoted the party chieftain as saying, “on behalf of Osun PDP members, I hereby move, that Senator Ademola Adeleke remains the candidate of Osun PDP in the 2022 governorship election and that we start working towards that goal as one indivisible family from this moment.”

However, the adoption was on Wednesday described as nullity by a source within the National Working Committee of the party. The source carpeted the “purported” adoption adding that the party has learnt its lessons and would not allow what led to her defeat in the previous elections to repeat itself. “Why the rush? 2022 is still far ahead of us. For now, we are concerned about how to settle the differences presently affecting the party unity in the state.” He said.

In his own words, a security expert and chieftain of the party in the state who belongs to the Akin Ogunbiyi camp, Mr Akin Adeyi noted, “by the way, what do we call it when party people are invited to a program disguised and tagged prayers and Thanksgiving but only for them to get there and be railroaded into a different agenda entirely. Endorsement of this magnitude is a party Secretariat and not anybody’s private living room affairs no matter how such person may be highly placed.”

Another member of the party with a dissenting view bemoaned the decision. He retorted: “this is not a matter of presenting candidates. It’s a matter of taken the right step at the right time. It’s too early to take such a decision. The party needs to work on aggrieved members for now and look for ways to bring in more members. This is the most useless decision I have seen in my political history.”

Another member of the party decried the step and urged the party to adhere to her construction. He posited, “my personal opinion on the forth coming election goes thus: it’s too early to know and declare a credible candidate for the party. The party should see it as a necessity to give room for all intending aspirants but a consensus candidate will emerge as there won’t be any room for primaries to avoid dealers and greedy delegates.”

“There must be specified rules and requirements for aspirants to meet before deciding who to be chosen. Don’t forget we have more than enough highly placed, notable, credible above all intellectually sound with no bad record or excess political baggage anywhere. This must be encouraged within our party.”

“Lastly, very important, the party and its members must strictly adhere to the constitution of the party. Money bags must not be allowed to hijack the party against the laid down rules and procedures as enshrined in our party constitution. Everybody must be welcomed to the party , but must abide with our rules and constitution.”