World enews: Osun PDP Party Crisis Deepens As Two Candidates Claim Governorship Ticket

The crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Osun State chapter has further deepened following yesterday’s primary elections.

This comes as two candidates — Senator Ademola Adeleke and Prince Dotun Babayemi – laid claim to the party ticket, having been elected in separate primary elections in Osogbo, the state capital.

According to reports, one primary election took place at the Osogbo City Stadium, while another parallel Governorship election was conducted at WOCDIF Event Center producing two candidates.

It was gathered that the exercise at the stadium was supervised by a committee from the National Secretariat of the party led by the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state, Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, but the one at the WOCDIF event centre was not supervised by the committee.

Six aspirants, including Ademola Adeleke, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Dele Adeleke, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, and Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya had all shown interest in clinching the PDP ticket and the Mohammed Adoke-led screening committee from the PDP National Secretariat cleared all of them for the contest.

However, four aspirants, Ogunbiyi, Dele, Omirin and Akinbade pulled out of the race.

The members of the party at the stadium are supporters of Adeleke while those supporting Babayemi were at the parallel primary.

The former Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada, PDP leaders, Chiefs Shuaib Oyedokun, Olu Alabi, Tajudeen Oladipo were among top PDP members at the parallel primary election while other party leaders including Professor Wale Oladipo, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa and Prince Diran Odeyemi were at the primary election holding at the City Stadium.

At the end of the parallel Governorship primary election at the WOCDIF event centre, Babayemi was declared the winner by the returning officer, Adelani Ajanaku, and the flag of the party was handed over to him.

Senator Adeleke was declared the winner of the primary election held at the City Stadium which was supervised by officials of the party from the PDP national secretariat.

Both candidates have now laid claim to the ticket which had caused confusion.