BOLA BAMIGBOLA writes that today’s governorship primary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is the first hurdle for the party in its battle to climb to power in Osun State
The battle for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State ahead of July 16, 2022, which will climax with primary election on Tuesday, will go down in history as one the fiercest.
Six political heavy weights would be doing the battle for the ticket, and their backers have all being employing various strategies to get the ticket for their preferred candidate.
The contest for the PDP 2022 governorship ticket could be said to have started since April 2020, when the then Osun Chairman of the party, Soji Adagunodo, was suspended by the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee and his deputy, Sunday Atidade, was made acting chairman. Mr Sunday Bisi, later replaced Adagunodo as chairman.
Many political observers were of the opinion that the politics that removed Adagunodo was predicated on the scheming by certain forces to ensure that a party leadership that would not frustrate governorship ambition of a certain aspirant was put in place.
All along, the 2018 governorship candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke aligned with Bisi-led faction and the man that came second in the contest for the party’s ticket, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, identified with Adagunodo faction, as the two groups engaged in serious battle over control of the party.
But Adagunodo after his removal approached the Osun State High Court sitting in Ikirun, which reinstated him and he opened a parallel party office few metres away from the one where Bisi and his State Working Committee that was recognised by the PDP national leadership was operating from.
Adagunodo’s elevation to the post of PDP South West National Vice Chairman last year November, though initially viewed as the dead end for the leadership crisis, has however become springboard to more unrest, as that steps have been constantly followed by myriads of court pronouncements basically on the list of delegates that would choose PDP flag bearer.
With just the party’s governorship primarie holding today, it is still unclear the list of delegates that would be accepted by the PDP national leadership for the exercise, as the two contending factions were bandying different lists.
Efforts by many stakeholders to find amicable solution to the crisis ravaging the party have failed as the unrest defied all solutions.
But despite uncertainties surrounding the primaries, the aspirants have kept wheel of politicking moving, going round to woo delegates to their sides with various promises.
The six aspirants seeking for the PDP ticket are Senator Ademola Adeleke, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Mr. Sanya Ominrin, Prince Dotun Babayemi and Mr Dele Adeleke.
But less than 24 hours to the primary, Ogunbiyi withdrew from the race. But in a statement on Monday, Ogunbiyi said he had pulled out of the primary. He stated, “Senator Ayu has agreed to work with Ademola Adeleke and I’m being told that I shouldn’t waste my money and we did everything possible. I can only come to the conclusion to withdraw from the race because up till moment, they are there planning on how they can execute.”
In his reaction, Prince Diran Odeyemi, who is an associate of Senator Adeleke, said Ogunbiyi would have earned respect of many people, if he had withdrawn from the race without raising false allegation against anyone.
“To accuse our national body of bias is unfair. He could have just withdrawn quietly have sensed defeat without raising false allegations. Nobody is planning any violence. But we still need him and everyone for the main election,” Odeyemi said.
Also in separate statements on Monday evening, Dele Adeleke and Akinbade said they had withdrawn from the race.
Senator Ademola Adeleke
Senator Ademola Adeleke represented Osun West in the Senate, between 2017 and 2019, completing the remainder of the tenure of his elder brother, Isiaka Adeleke, who passed on in April, 2017.
Adeleke was also the PDP flag bearer in 2018 governorship election, where he led in the first ballot before losing at the runoff to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Since stamping his feet on the political space of the state in 2017, Adeleke has been a dominant force and he has many powerbrokers in the party backing his ambition to be governor.
Coming from Ede town, reputed for giving block votes, and the fact that financing a big political project may not be a problem, are some of the factors working in favour of Adeleke.
Adeleke’s ambition is also being fanned by the agitation from the West Senatorial District, he once represented at the Senate, that the post of governor to be zoned to it. Incidentally, the only governor that the zone produced was the late Senator Adeleke, the elder brother to the one vying for PDP ticket currently.
Besides strong line up of party men supporting his aspiration, the ex parliamentarian is also enjoying backing of his wealthy elder brother, Dr Deji Adeleke.
Alhaji Fatai Akinbade
Akinbade was the PDP state chairman, when the party won governorship election in 2003 and he was rewarded by the then governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola with the post of Secretary to the state government, the position he held till the last day of Oyinlola in office in year 2010.
Before becoming SSG, Akinbade has also served as Commissioner under different three successive military administrations in Osun State.
He hails from Ogbaagba, a community in the Olaoluwa Local Government Area in Osun West Senatorial District, making agitation for the West Senatorial to produce governor, a blessing to his ambition.
Akinbade vied for PDP governorship ticket in 2018. Though he lost, he however contested the main election on the platform of African Democratic Congress.
He is very close to ex governor Oyinlola and many other people that served during the period the PDP was in government in Osun. That as well, may count in his favour at the governorship primaries.
Dr Akin Ogunbiyi
Although in a statement on Monday, Ogunbiyi said he had withdran from the race, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Since he made his debut on the political turf of Osun in 2018, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, an indigene of Ileogbo, the headquarters of the Ayedire Local Government Area, has not looked back and he is also in the race for the PDP ticket for 2022 poll.
The chairman, Mutual Benefits Assurance, had the second highest vote in 2018 PDP governorship primary, which he lost to Adeleke by seven votes.
Ogunbiyi is having behind him many party leaders, especially the current PDP South-West National Vice Chairman, Adagunodo, who was Osun state PDP chairman, when Ogunbiyi nearly clinched the ticket in 2018.
Apart from Adagunodo, the current factional PDP acting chairman, Wale Ojo, is also believed to be supporting Ogunbiyi.
Being an indigene of a town in the West Senatorial District which is agitating for the seat of governor is also a plus to his ambition.
Mr Sanya Ominrin
Mr. Sanya Omirin served as Chairman of the Atakumosa East Local Government Area of Osun State. He is from Ijesa South Federal Constituency, where the immediate past governor, Rauf Aregbesola, also hails from.
After leaving office, he was also appointed as Commissioner in the Revenue and Fiscal Mobilization Commission.
Being a former council boss, Ominrin is close to the grassroots and he has a relatively strong supporters’ base, especially in his local government
Some of his colleagues when he served as chairman of local government are holding higher political offices presently and they may be favourably disposed to the ambition of one them.
Prince Dotun Babayemi
Prince Babayemi hails from Gbongan, a town in West Senatorial District. He is one of the children of the immediate past Olufi of Gbongan, Oba Solomon Babayemi.
During 2019 general election, Babayemi contested the Osun West Senatorial District seat in the Senate on the platform of Action Democratic Party.
Although he came third losing to the candidate of All Progressives Congress, Adelere Oriolowo, Babayemi’s was able to garner 44, 000 votes.
The feat was considered good by many political pundits, and his movement to the PDP, his supporters, believe offers him a stronger platform to excel. His ambition aligns with West Senatorial agitation to produce governor and many young forces in his present party have identified with him.
Mr Dele Adeleke
Mr. Dele Adeleke came to the consciousness of many people in Osun during the 2018 governorship election result collation, when he served as agent for his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
The 50-year old Adeleke has over two decades career in the banking industry and he is also an entrepreneur.
He also hails from Ede, a town with two local government areas in West Senatorial District and since he showed interest, many young members of PDP have been working hard to sway major decision makers in the Osun PDP to his side.
Adeleke’s governorship ambition is also enjoying support of many of his kinsmen in Ede, while some emerging political forces across all parties in the state, are also believed to be giving him support. ,,
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