By Aliyu Oyewole
Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has explained that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s alleged failure to carry key stakeholders along in major political decisions contributed to his decision, alongside other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 election.
Oyinlola made the disclosure on Tuesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
He said Adeleke’s decision to resign from the PDP and join the Accord Party without consulting stakeholders was particularly disappointing, noting that he had earlier held discussions with the governor and his brother, Deji Adeleke, on possible alternative platforms.
According to him, four political parties — APGA, NNPP, ADP and Accord — were considered as alternatives to the PDP amid the crisis rocking the party at the national level.
Oyinlola said he personally advocated for Accord because he believed the party would resonate with the people of Osun State.
“I think I had discussions with the governor and his brother, Deji, on four possibilities. We had some understanding on which of the platforms would be attractive, not to the party alone, but to the people of the state.
“They suggested the possibilities anyway and these are APGA, NNPP, ADP, and ACCORD. I put forward the argument that ACCORD will resonate with our people.”
He explained that the stakeholders had anticipated that the crisis within the PDP at the national level could affect the party’s prospects in Osun and therefore began considering alternative platforms ahead of the governorship election.
“We foresaw this problem with the commencement of the turbulent weather that hit the PDP at the national level. So, we know for sure that it will permeate downwards and that was why we had the discussion that what would be the alternative to PDP in as far as the contest for the governorship, which is at hand, is concerned,” he said.
Oyinlola said the agreement was for Adeleke and his brother to return from abroad before stakeholders would meet to take a final decision on the platform to adopt.
However, he said he was surprised when he discovered on social media that Adeleke had resigned from the PDP and joined Accord without further consultation.
“Both of them were outside the country when we discussed. And we said, as soon as they come back, let’s have stakeholders’ meeting so that we can fine-tune how we report into which of the parties we want to use.
“Surprisingly, my governor came back from the U.S. Without any discussion, without any stakeholders’ meeting to fine-tune things the way we have agreed, I saw on social media, like every other member, that my governor has resigned from the PDP and he has joined ACCORD.”
The former governor said although there had been an earlier consensus that Accord could provide a viable platform, Adeleke’s unilateral decision to join the party without carrying all stakeholders along represented what he described as another manifestation of non-inclusiveness.
“Even though we were all thinking of what platform would best serve our interests, but it would only be nice to carry everybody along in that decision. So, deciding that he is going to ACCORD and not taking the whole party along is one of the non-inclusive actions,” Oyinlola said.
He added that some political appointees and other office holders subsequently followed Adeleke into Accord, but efforts to reunite all stakeholders failed.
“Some, especially the appointees, political office holders, went with him into ACCORD. It was made to bring everybody together, but that failed,” he added.
The former governor said the failure of the consultation process eventually influenced his decision, alongside other PDP stakeholders, to support Oyebamiji of the APC.
Oyinlola, alongside former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Fatai Akinbade, and former PDP National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Tajudeen Oladipo, recently led a faction of PDP chieftains in endorsing Oyebamiji.
He stressed, however, that their endorsement did not amount to abandoning the PDP, describing their decision as one based on personal conviction and what they considered to be in the best interest of Osun State.
“And we felt we should exercise our conscience as stakeholders who have served the state. I do believe that at this particular moment, Osun State will require a different direction. That was why we did what we did,” Oyinlola said.
