One of the ‘two governorship candidates’ of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Dotun Babayemi, tells OLUFEMI OLANIYI that he will fly the party’s flag in the July election and will defeat incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola
What will you say is the genesis of the PDP crisis in Osun State?
The crisis in Osun PDP stems from the previous National Working Committee. The previous National Working Committee of the party did not follow due process in some of the things they did. I will give you a few examples of what they did wrong. The removal of Mr Soji Adagunodo as the chairman of PDP in Osun is one. They did not follow due process in that case and what resulted from that was in September 2021, the then National Working Committee sold forms for the ward congresses through different channels simultaneously. One was sold to Soji Adagunodo and one was sold to Sunday Bisi. That led to parallel congresses in 216 out of 232 wards that we have in Osun State.
Why didn’t they conduct congresses in the remaining wards?
That was because their terms had not expired. Their terms will expire later this month (March 2022). Two hundred and sixteen wards had parallel congresses. If you look at the PDP national convention held last year, Osun State did not have recognised delegates there because of court cases. It became imperative to solve the problem but the internal mechanism of the party at that time was not working and some of these delegates then sought approval of the court, and on December 22, judgement was given, approving the action taken by one of the two chairmen in the state, Soji Adagunodo. The court approved the congresses that were earlier held on November 22. On March 3, the Osun State Judiciary said the congresses held by Soji Adagunodo were the valid ones and the delegates were the real delegates to vote in subsequent elections.
Is that the basis for holding the governorship primary election which produced you as the candidate?
Exactly, that was the basis for conducting the primary. We notified the national headquarters of our party. When we notified them, our expectation was that they would use the right delegates to vote in the primary election. Unfortunately, following the challenges of the last National Working Committee, there was some misunderstanding. The primary election that was held at the stadium and the delegates that were there contravened the valid order of the court. What they did was also a contravention of the constitution of the PDP.
Are you saying the primary election which produced Senator Ademola Adeleke as the candidate of the PDP is a nullity?
Yes, the election is null and void and whatever action taken there is not recognised because it was done against the court order. It is a nullity. The right congress was held at WOCDIF Centre.
Who among the delegates participated in the governorship primary at WOCDIF?
There are six members of NEC who are from Osun State. Five out of the six were there at WOCDIF and only one, Prof. Wale Oladipo, was at the stadium.
Who were the members of NEC at WOCDIF?
The NEC members present are former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is a member of our PDP Board of Trustees; Erelu Olusola Obada, a member of the BoT; Alhaji Shuaib Oyedojun, another BoT member; Senator Olu Alabi, and Alhaji Tajudeen Olawepo, a former National Vice Chairman of PDP in the South-West. Paul Olakunle, who is the national officer from Osun, was also there.
How do you think this crisis can be resolved?
We don’t have a crisis, it is a family affair. We have presented all the relevant facts and we are still positive that our elders and leaders will review it and do the right thing. The PDP is a party known for respecting the rule of law and due process. We don’t flout the laws. We have respect for the judiciary which is a strong pillar of our democracy. Rest assured that the right thing will be done.
Are you confident that you will be recognised as the governorship candidate of the PDP for this coming election?
Yes, I am absolutely confident. I have full confidence in our party; I have full confidence in our leadership. Though there are distractions, I have confidence that they will do the right thing. Our party belongs to the people, our party can’t be bought. Our party has credible leaders, so, I don’t entertain any fear. The reason why there have been challenges in the PDP in Osun in the last 12 years is that the party has not been in power. Now that we are coming back, I am confident that I will fly the flag of the party in the July 16 election. We will be victorious and we will be in the Government House by November 27, no doubt about that.
What is your message to the people of the state?
I am calling on them and I know once this issue is resolved and it will be resolved, they will join me because the PDP is one big family. We welcome people even from other parties, including the APC, to come and join us to take this state to the next level. Osun State people have been impoverished especially in the last four years; they should come and join us to rescue the state from the misrule of the APC. We have to take Osun from the quagmire of poverty where it has been plunged.
The spokesman for the Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who is a member of the APC in Osun State, recently said whoever emerged as the PDP candidate would just appear on the ballot because the person won’t be a match for Governor Gboyega Oyetola. How do you view this?
If you look at the APC now, it is worse than it was yesterday and it is getting worse. The people are even affected negatively by their problems. Pensioners are worse off; people are neck-deep in poverty unlike when the PDP was in power. Workers are being owed 30 months of half salaries.
Why will a government ask unemployed youths to come and pay thousands of naira to buy employment forms? The government made N900m from the sales of the forms. Osun has the resources to make life better for its citizens. Our cocoa is the best grade in the world, our cashew in Ejigbo is world-renowned. We have mineral deposit. Rather than the people benefiting from these, they are being taken out and the people are suffering. Oyetola has spent almost four years now and apart from the one-way flyover at Olaiya, what else has he done as a governor? Nothing! What has this governor done in the last four years apart from fighting his predecessor? The good news is that the people are ready for the PDP and we are ready to give them good governance.
Why were you not at the PDP Appeal Committee’s sitting?
The appeal process is part of our internal mechanism and we have presented facts that we need to present, it is being evaluated and we expect that on our part, being a party that is guided by rules and regulations, we will do the right thing.
Do the right thing in what aspect?
The right thing by looking at the facts of the case and that the primary election that took place at WOCDIF Centre is the real one and the delegates there are the ones validly elected.
Do you have the financial muscle to prosecute a governorship election like the Adelekes?
Elections and governance entail much more than having money. I have to correct that. You don’t win an election simply because you have so much money to throw around. You have to touch the people, the downtrodden and I have been in the political space for a while. I have been on the ballot for the senatorial race and I was well accepted. We have the resources to see this through. My advice to the people of the state is to remain focused because the PDP is coming in a big way and this year, God will restore governance to Osun State. The state will go to the poll on July 16 and I will be voted in by the help of God and the people of the state.
Some of the governorship aspirants withdrew from the primary election at the last minute. What are you doing to woo them to your side?
One of the things that happened that some people don’t know is that three of those aspirants were with us at WOCDIF Centre and they actually endorsed my candidature. The one that was not there actually sent his delegates, his representatives. We are working collectively and we are putting resources together while I represent everybody.
But with the APC in power at the state and at the national level, are you not worried that the contest may not favour you?
I’m not worried. The people of Osun State are wise. They are wiser now than they were in the past; they have seen the deception of the APC and they know that they cannot trust them with power again. By July 16, when we go for that governorship election, I can tell you that the PDP will win with nothing less than 150,000 votes. The margin will be very clear. There is no part of Osun State you go to and the people are not disenchanted about the present APC government. You will see the frustration of the people everywhere. The civil servants are promoted with no increment in their salaries despite the promotions. Rest assured that our victory at the poll will be very clear and there will be no issue.
Are you saying the victory will be so clear that there won’t be any reason for a rerun poll?
There won’t be any need for that. When the PDP beats the party next to it by over 150,000 votes, that will be a landslide and that is what will happen. We will record a very clear victory. We are looking forward to the resolution of the misunderstanding we have in our party and we expect that it will be done very soon so that we can begin our campaign of hope to the people of Osun State. God will give us victory at the poll.
But if the party does not rule in your favour, will you consider defecting to another party?
I am positive that it will favour me because of the facts that we have presented. We realise that legally, I am the candidate of the party and God will see us through. The PDP is home, I am not leaving the PDP. Osun State is for the PDP and the PDP is for Osun State and our victory is ordained by God.
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