Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has maintained that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains firmly rooted in the state, despite the decision of Governor Ademola Adeleke to defect to the Accord Party.
Oyinlola made the remarks on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo. The gathering was attended by the party’s caretaker chairman and secretary in the state, Tunde Tijani and Seyi Bamidele, as well as former Secretary to the State Government, Fatai Akinbade, and former PDP South-West Vice Chairman, Taju Oladipo. However, all serving appointed and elected officials were absent.
Addressing party members from the 30 local government areas and the Ife East Area Office, Oyinlola said the meeting was convened to clarify the party’s position at both state and national levels.
“There have been some confusing narratives being pushed out about the status of PDP, especially in Osun State, and what we have done today is to narrate situations as they are to our members, so that the entire wards and local governments in Osun will know exactly where PDP stands today in Osun State,” he said.
Responding to speculation that the PDP had merged its structures with the Accord Party to support Adeleke’s re-election bid, Oyinlola dismissed the claim.
“PDP is a party that has its tentacles in all the nooks and crannies of this country. It is not in our own time that we will allow it to die.
“We are holding on to PDP. If tomorrow, our governor decides to come back and be with his family in PDP, he is most welcome, but for now, PDP is standing in Osun State strongly,” he added.
Also speaking, Osun PDP Caretaker Chairman, Tunde Tijani, reiterated that the party remains intact and denied reports of any alliance with the Accord Party.
“PDP stands firmly, and it has not colluded with the Accord as being rumoured,” Tijani said.
He disclosed that the new leadership would soon embark on a tour of local governments ahead of a planned congress.
“We are going to each local government to constitute a committee that will oversee the affairs of the party in the local government, and they too will constitute the ward caretaker committee pending the time we will have congress at the state level,” he explained.
Uncertainty has trailed the Osun PDP since Adeleke’s switch to the Accord Party to pursue his governorship ambition.
Following his defection, the party’s state executive committee led by Sunday Bisi was dissolved by the PDP’s National Working Committee and replaced with a caretaker panel.
However, Bisi and members of the dissolved State Working Committee rejected the action, insisting they remain the constitutionally recognised leadership of the party in Osun.
