You belong to the group in Osun PDP supporting Prince Dotun Babayemi. Another group is backing Senator Adeleke as the flag-bearer of the party in July governorship poll. Why is this division this time around?
You cannot build something on nothing. Sometimes last year, court affirmed Soji Adagunodo as the chairman of the party in the state. He was later elevated to the post of National Vice- Chairman South-West of the party. By the virtue of that judgment which came before he resigned officially at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, all what he did from the day one, when he was sworn-in as the chairman to the last day he resigned remained valid. It was during the period he was chairman that we had ward congress for our party that was in September last year.
The party went ahead to apply for an order in the court of competent jurisdiction in Osun compelling the National Working Committee to use a particular list of ward delegates for the gubernatorial primary which was held recently. But few days after, there was a counter-order from another court of which gave Adeleke group another relief to use a different delegate list for the primary. It was supposed to be a single primary, but because of conflict in the judgment of court, parallel primaries were held.
Now that the issue is subject of litigation. It is the court that will dispassionately look at the two sides and tell us the people that did the right thing and the ones that did the wrong thing.
The two men are just a product of the delegates that voted at the governorship primaries which ended up being parallels exercises. At this point, we have no choice as the party than to wait till the court decides who is right and who is wrong.
But is the party not going to end up losing out the governorship election with all these cases?
I believe the PDP will not lose out. The two men both belong to the same party. While we resolve the issue, it should not be a case of if candidate A does not emerge, I am not going to do anything, I will sit down. No, it shouldn’t be that way. But like I said, I have reason to say it a lot of time that, those who are holding the knife and the yam are the ones that should sit down and lock themselves up in the room, talk to one other, fight and resolve everything.
What PDP leadership doing to resolve the crises?
There are two clear ways out of this situation – litigation or political solution from the national down to the state. The party seems not looking at the political solution to this issue which is very sad. As a person, I think litigation can never solve a political problem. Litigation can only escalate it the more, but in a situation where you don’t have the mechanism, you don’t have the capacity to resolve politically, it is better to go to court, to go and get clearance.
Has Babayemi made a move to resolve the issue?
I know after that after the primary, he had reasons to go and meet a lot of people in their private homes, talk to them about how to resolve this issue. That I can tell you. I may not have to be mentioning names, but he has gone to a lot of places from East to West and Central, talking to people on reasons why this issue has to be resolved politically. I know he has even gone to Abuja to talk to the party and its national leadership too on the way out. I know Omooba Babayemi still loves the party and he wants the party to excel. It’s just that the mechanism that was put in place by the party, has not done enough and he has allowed this issue to degenerate. It is a pity but what can we do? It’s better to talk the law than doing violence.
Some people were of the opinion that, if Babayemi is offered Senatorial ticket for Osun West, it will may end this crisis. Do you also think so?
That question cannot be answered by me because who wears the shoe know where it pinches. Now, the other side of the question is that if Babayemi is given the governorship ticket and since Adeleke has been to the Senate, he should return to Senate, and allow Babayemi to run. Will that end the crises?
It is either here nor there, but if the leadership doesn’t turn blind eyes to political solutions, then we will get over the matter.
When is Babayemi starting his governorship campaign?
There is still time to do that. As of today, I can tell you that Babayemi is well prepared to hit the ground and sell his manifestoes to the people of Osun, Osun should expect best of campaign from us. It is going to be issue based.
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