In the last few weeks, the political temperature in the major opposition party (PDP) in Osun state rose above room temperature. Civil disobedience was witnessed by few members of the party to protest against the state leadership of the party whom they claimed they’ve lost confidence in.
The Chairman of the party, Honourable Soji Adagunodo was alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices and also working as a mole. A petition was written against him and submitted to the National Working Committee of the party for investigation and possible disciplinary action. But as of today, the NWC in their wisdom has not communicated the verdict of the panel to the party members.
Consequently, the leadership of the party in the state convened a meeting at the State party secretariat, Oshogbo, where some Leaders of the party including Mr Diran Odeyemi, Akin Adeyi and others were present. One of the 2018 Governorship Aspirants, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi was also billed to attend the meeting.
The meeting was a fertile ground to some section of the party who are loyal to the ‘Country Home’ to express their displeasure and show their grievances to the ‘political enemies’ of the ‘country home’.
The protest was targeted at the Chairman of the party, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, the National Deputy Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Diran Odeyemi and other dissenting voices. They were alleged to have taken side with Dr Akin Ogunbiyi who lost to Senator Ademola Adeleke at the July 7 Governorship primary election in 2018.
The peaceful protest snowballed into a violent one when some footsoldiers of the party loyal to the ‘country home’ descended on the party Chieftains and assaulted them.
Consequently, some of the foot soldiers that were alleged to have perpetrated and masterminded the assault were arrested by the security agencies and prosecuted in court, they were remanded in Ilesha correctional centre for few days before they were granted bail.
The protesters also claimed Soji Adagunodo and Diran Odeyemi worked against the party and Senator Ademola Adeleke in the last Governorship election and served as a mole in the party providing information to the ruling APC.
Corroborating this claim was a purported recorded phone conversation between Senator Ademola Adeleke and Mr Akin Adeyi, a security expert belonging to Dr Akin Ogunbiyi’s camp. The 12-minutes conversation which has not been denied by both parties revealed how Diran Odeyemi was contracted by a member of the ruling party to make sure a weaker candidate (Dr Akin Ogunbiyi) emerged as the PDP flag bearer whom they believe will be easier to defeat compared to Senator Ademola Adeleke. An allegation Mr Diran Odeyemi has denied.
Another Chieftain of the party Honourable Akanni Clement Olohunwa who defected from ruling APC in 2018 in a WhatsApp message he sent to a platform, insisted there are moles in the party. In his statement he wrote
“As a stakeholder and an office holder in APC before I joined PDP last year August, if i tell you about most people you call leaders in PDP, you will almost hang yourself. The best thing you can do now is to start a genuine reconciliation and tell those who wants to leave the party to exit with honour.
As it is today ( with my position in my former party), I know PDP has about 10% of its leaders as moles for APC.
Confession of sins & genuine reconciliation is the only thing that can take PDP out of this mess. I bet you, the plan is to make PDP in Osun worse than Lagos ( May God forbid).
Let’s forgive ourselves, erase unnecessary factions and forge a formidable force that can take over Osun in 2022.”
Honourable Clement Akanni wrote.
The Political contractors in the “Country home” are not leaving any stone unturned to further seal the Governorship ambition of Senator Ademola Adeleke in 2022, top on their agenda is ‘Operation Adagunodo must go”, uprooting dissenting voices and asphyxiation of prospective opponents.
The camp of Adeleke is swelling up, lately they welcomed the Kosemani group headed by a former Commissioner of works and former Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Engineer Bayo Faforijin, a breakaway group from Omisore group of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The camp has also received the endorsement of their candidate, Ademola Adeleke by the Ife/Ijesha zone of the party, as well as the Olorunda Local government chapter.
During the last election, Senator Ademola Adeleke was involved in several court cases ranging from certificate forgery to impersonation and racketeering.
He has however after the elections, relocated to the United States. Rumour has it that he is currently enrolled in a school and will use the knowledge and the long break from the political scene to prepare himself for the 2022 governorship election.
The major opposition party in the state, PDP, has been enmeshed in one crisis or the other immediately they lost the 2018 Governorship election, they have failed to do the job of opposition in the state by putting the Government of the day on its toes.
The APC led regime in the state is not without its own internal crisis, however the Gboyega Oyetola administration has been consistent with the payment of full salaries to the workforce, also some policies suspected to be anti-people by the outgone regime has been upturned to a more pro-people policies.
The ruling party has also embarked on an increased membership drive, reabsorbing those who left during the last election and also strengthening its acceptability with visible road and health projects across the state.
One wonders why a party that has been ousted for over 10years fail to learn from its failures? A party that is expected to be selfless and on the side of the people is busy with selfish and self serving brickbat.
Politics they say is a game of numbers, most of the votes Senator Adeleke got in the last guber election were votes against the outgoing regime, not necessarily votes for the PDP or its Candidate. Most of the votes also received by Senator Omisore were said to be Civil Servants and Christian community related votes.
A quiet but smart Oyetola is however working scientifically and strategically to reduce the 2018 deficit but his major albatross will be how he cohabits with the Oranmiyan family in the state.
For PDP to stand a chance in the next election, it must embark on genuine reconciliation, play by the rules and allow internal democracy within the party.
Femi Adesola, a freelance writer, wrote in from Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo, Osun State.