Why Osun PDP Peace Deal Failed

 

By Solomon Odeniyi

The truce brokered by the former Senate President, David Mark between the camps of Senator Ademola Adeleke and Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi in Osun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has failed.

Failure of the two camps to agree on the choice of running mate to Adeleke was the bone of contention.

The PDP national leadership had engaged Senator Mark to broker peace between Adeleke, who won the party’s primary and Ogunbiyi, who has since been contesting the result of the election.

Ogunbiyi had claimed the primary was manipulated in favour of Adeleke.

Besides, six other governorship aspirants on the platform of the party backed Ogunbiyi’s claim and insisted that Adeleke’s name should not be submitted.

While this was on, two members of PDP also approached Osun state High Court, seeking nullification of Adeleke’s candidature, alleging that he does not have the minimum educational qualification to be governor.

Apparently worried that post-primary crisis might affect PDP chances at the election, the national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, summoned all aspirants of the party to Abuja where Mark met them and brokered a deal between the two camps.

However, inability of the camps to follow through conditions in the deal, might degenerate the issue.

A source said, part of the deal was that the camp of Ogunbiyi would produce the running mate to Adeleke, while the senatorial ticket of the Osun East would be conceded to the camp in 2019.

Adeleke’s camp submitted the name of Hon Albert Adeogun from Ife zone as his running mate with the believe that the name would be substituted when the other camp agreed on the candidate for the slot.

It was gathered that Adeogun has decided not to relinquish the post, as he was said to have disappeared into thin air and remained incommunicado until the time for substitution of names lapsed with a view to avoiding his replacement.

The source added that the PDP Senatorial ticket of Osun East which has already been conceded to Ogunbiyi’s camp and expected to be given to Erelu Olusola Obada, but the camp of Adeleke wants the ticket for Prince Francis Fadahunshi.

As an indication that the deal has failed, one of those nominated by the Ogunbiyi’s camp for the running mate slot, Professor Adeolu Durotoye has defected to the Action Democratic Party (ADP) to deputise Alhaji Moshood Adeoti.

However, the case instituted against Adeleke had been dismissed on Wednesday.