PDP: Ogunbiyi, Adeleke at war over Osun senatorial ticket

A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
in Osun State, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, has accused the governorship
candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, of breaching an
agreement reached ahead of the election.

He said Adeleke was backing his campaign director, Chief Lere Oyewumi,
for the Osun West ticket.

Ogunbiyi, through his media aide, Ismail Afolabi, told Punch that "To
resolve the crisis arising from the PDP primary, the leadership of the
party resolved that Ogunbiyi's camp should produce a candidate who
would deputise Adeleke; they conceded Osun West Senatorial ticket of
the party to Ogunbiyi himself and also rationalised other issues for
peace to reign.

"But the agreement did not see the light of the day. It was breached.
Adeleke and his campaign organisation led by Dr Lere Oyewumi picked
Hon. Albert Adeogun, an indigene of Ife as the deputy governorship
candidate and frustrated the move by the party to substitute Adeogun's
name in line with the said accord. Ogunbiyi and his camp were
sidelined thereafter.

"Backed by Adeleke, Lere Oyewumi went all out for the Osun West
Senatorial ticket, breached the signed agreement between him and
Ogunbiyi while the leadership of the party looked away.

"Lere contested against himself and yet rolled out results showing
that Ogunbiyi participated in the charade he organised in Osogbo,
instead of Iwo, the appropriate venue of the exercise. Osun people at
the convention were shocked and emotional to see the so-called result
of the unfair and highly incredible exercise. It is evident that Osun
PDP is sitting on gunpowder. We hope that the national leadership of
the party will address Lere's impunity."

But Adeleke denied the allegation.

His spokesman, Olawale Rasheed said, "We regard the cock and bull
story on the Osun-West senatorial PDP ticket as a mere distraction at
a time the PDP and the Adeleke Campaign Organisation are busy
preparing for legal presentations to reclaim the stolen mandate of the
Osun people.

"At a time all genuine PDP members are praying and contributing to
make the legal battle a success, here we are with fake news of Senator
Ademola Adeleke being responsible for the action and conduct of a
senior member of the party."

In his reaction, Oyewumi said, "I am the PDP candidate for the
Osun-West Senatorial District. The primary election was conducted on
Saturday. The PDP NWC ordered the conduct of the Osun-West and
Osun-East primaries.

"The election committee was headed by Ambassador Bala Aboki, the same
man that was the secretary of the first committee that conducted the
Osun Central primary that produced Gani Olaoluwa."