Three governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State have withdrawn from the party’s primary election scheduled to hold on Tuesday (today).
Those who withdrew from the race on Monday are Akin Ogunbiyi, Fatai Akinbade and Dele Adeleke.
Ogunbiyi, while announcing his withdrawal in Osogbo, said he withdrew from the contest because of alleged bias of the PDP national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
He said, “It is a very difficult decision for me because of the amount of investment and the hope that my personality and leadership would have given to Osun State.
“But when you have an umpire who is so bias to the extent of planning with the other group, what can you do?
“Senator Ayu has agreed to work with Ademola Adeleke and I am 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.”
Akinbade, in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Monday, said he was withdrawing from the race in respect of the decision of the party elders who have named Dotun Babayemi as the preferred aspirant.
The statement read, “The former SSG has declared his support for Dotun Babayemi who has been chosen by the party elders.
“Accordingly, he appealed to party members across the state, especially his supporters, to rally round Babayemi so that the party could triumph at the coming polls.”
Also, Adeleke, in a statement, said his decision to quit the race was in line with the decision of the PDP leaders who have decided to harmonise forces, “within the school of thought that I subscribed to, so that we can jointly prosecute the primary election and win. I respect this decision and believe in their capacity to lead us to victory.”
Meanwhile, a statement issued on behalf of the PDP Elders’ Caucus, endorsed Babayemi.
The statement signed by a factional chairman of the party, Mr. Wale Ojo, further read, “On behalf of Osun State party executives, BOT members, apex party leaders and the entire members of our party in the state, after a painstaking deliberation of the elders of the party and in preparation for the state congress to elect the gubernatorial candidate of our party slated to hold on March 8, 2022, it was unanimously agreed that Prince Dotun Babayemi should fly the flag of the party in the impending state congress.”
Meanwhile, the state government has said some persons have stockpiled materials bearing the insignia of the All Progressives Congress, its government and those of it governorship candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, with the aim to adorn them and cause mayhem during the PDP governorship primary.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, in a statement in Osogbo, on Monday then called on security operatives to deal decisively with real and potential troublemakers before, during and after the primary.
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