A faction of the party led by Sunday Bisi is currently accrediting delegates at Osogbo city stadium, while other faction led by Dotun Babayemi is also holding a similar exercise at the WOCDIF Centre, Ring Road, Osogbo.
Confusion has hit the People’s Democratic Party in Osun State as two factions are holding separate primaries simultaneously to pick a candidate to stand for governorship elections on July 16, 2022.
A faction of the party led by Sunday Bisi is currently accrediting delegates at Osogbo city stadium, while other faction led by Dotun Babayemi is also holding a similar exercise at the WOCDIF Centre, Ring Road, Osogbo.
The leaders of the party who are on ground at the WOCDIF Centre include former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chiefs Shuaib Oyedokun, Olu Alabi, Tajudeen Oladipo among others.
While those present at the Osogbo City Stadium venue of the Sunday Bisi-led faction include; Chief Ajeigbe, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Bunmi Jenyo, Clement Akanni, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, Diran Odeyemi and others.
The aspirants who are contending for the ticket include Senator Ademola Adeleke, Dotun Babayemi, Fatai Akinbade, Dele Adeleke (Senator Ademola’s cousin); Sanya Omirin and Dr Akin Ogunbiyi.
Two of the aspirants are being rumoured to be planning to step down in the primaries due to infighting.
Recall that during the last election in 2018, Senator Adeleke defeated Dr Ogunbiyi to secure the ticket. Since then, the Osun State chapter of the PDP has not known peace.
It is expected that the duo renew the rivalry in today’s primary.
Meanwhile, the Osun State PDP chapter has been plagued with an internal crisis, particularly with the recent removal of the chairman, Soji Adagunodo by the party’s national leadership for allegedly supporting Ogunbiyi. He was replaced with Sunday Bisi.
The erstwhile chapter chairman was also accused of maladministration, anti-party activities, among others by the disciplinary committee.
The unresolved issues have since birthed several court orders and counter rulings as to who is the authentic chairman of the party. Adagunodo has been elevated to assume the position of the Southwest Zonal Chairman, replacing Taofeek Arapaja.
According to the report, the PDP on February 23, 2022, elected 996 delegates for the primary election, however, violence disrupted the conduct of the election with two people killed and a vehicle torched during the exercise.
The election took place in 332 wards in the state, where members elected three people in each of the wards.
However, an Osun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ijesa presided over by Justice A. Aderibigbe gave a nod to the eligibility of 215 wards executives loyal to the faction of former chairman, Adagunodo to participate in the primary.
The motion exparte was filed by Edmund Biriomoni on behalf of 31 ward chairmen from 25 local government areas elected on September 25, 2021 ward congress supervised by Olasoji Adagunodo against the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Osun PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Oluwabamiji, said despite the court order, the primary would hold and that the national secretariat will decide on the delegate list.