The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the presidency showed how desperate they were to win the governorship election in Osun State slated for 9th August, the party’s National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and President Goodluck Jonathan, meeting with one of the party’s aggrieved members and former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
Oyinlola, who was removed controversially from his position as the National Secretary of the PDP, had days ago, boasted that he was a focal point for the PDP’s success in the state. It is however known that the former governor and retired military officer had been fraternising with Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is seeking a second term under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Though the meeting with the president and Mu’azu were held behind close-doors, sources said it was summoned by the president to appeal to Oyinlola for support for Iyoola Omisore, the party’s flag bearer in the election.
In a phone chat on Tuesday evening, a source loyal to Oyinlola told Huhuonline.com that the former governor was actually invited and pleaded with to support the PDP in the election.
“We heard that the president even begged that on the day he would visit Osun for the PDP rally soon, Oyinlola should be at the event to give Osun people the understanding that the lingering crisis between him and the PDP is over,” the source said.
“But our leader is not one to be swayed by empty talks and promises. He has told them that the only condition to support the PDP is for the party to reinstate him as the National Secretary and that this should be immediate. Anything short of this is not acceptable and we support it wholeheartedly.”
The source noted that Oyinlola was a major force in the politics of Osun.
Professor Wale Oladipo had been used to replace Oyinlola as the National Secretary and the case had been in court with an appeal by the PDP against a Court of Appeal ruling that Oyinlola should be reinstated.
A source privy to the meeting said Jonathan and Mu’azu did not give a concrete promise to Oyinlola over his demand.
“The President simply said he would look into the issue,” he said.
The source also disclosed that it may be difficult for the PDP to just reinstate the former national secretary because it would bring another crisis to the party except Oladipo is pacified.
Prof. Wale Oladipo is the candidate of Omisore and Alhaji Buruji Kashamu, a major financier of the party, especially in the southwestern zone.
While speaking with journalists after the meeting, Oyinlola, a close ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, maintained that he was the rightful owner of the position in the party saying at the right time, he would clinch his position as the current occupier of the seat was only a pretender.
Oyinlola joined other aggrieved party members to form the New PDP after a major clash with the former National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur. Though some of the others moved into the opposition APC, Oyinlola vowed to stay back in the PDP and fight for his right.
