Ahead of 2018 governorship election in Osun state, the caretaker committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has begun aggressive moves to woo and regain defected members to the party fold with a stronger move to regain the political bigwigs such as former governors and other party chieftains who defected the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Consequently, the party has visited the former national secretary PDP and former governor on the platform of PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is currently serving as Chairman of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and former secretary to the state government and Labour Party governorship candidate in 2014, Fatai Akinbade, pleading with them to return to the party.
Speaking during the visit to Oyinlola, the chairman of Osun PDP Caretaker Committe Sarafadeen Ishola, said the party had treated the former governor unfairly and pleaded with him to forgive and forget the past.
But, Oyinlola rules out going back to the party in the future, Akinbade assured the team of PDP who paid him a courtesy call that he would not only come back to PDP, would also bring back a large number of party members who defected to Labour Party during run-off to the 2014 Odun state governorship election.
While welcoming PDP Caretaker Committee to his Okuku country home, Oyinlola declared that he would not return to his former party, but added that he had forgiven all those who wronged him.
He said the reign of indiscipline and impunity within PDP, as well as series of crises that later resulted in the electoral setback for the party, led to his exit.
Meanwhile, Ishola, during visit to Akinbade said there was need for those who had left the party to return for it to defeat APC in the August, 2018 governorship poll.
Addressing members of the Labour Party and People’s Democratic Party members who gathered at the residence of Akinbade to receive the team, Ishola said PDP had visited the former National Secretary of the party, Olagunsoye Oyinlola to seek forgiveness.
Ishola said: “we are here today to beg Oluomo (Akinbade). There is bound to be offences in politics. So, our brother, Alhaji Akinbade, forgive us and return to PDP. There has never been any party that ruled Nigeria for 16 years since independence in 1960. We need to reconcile our differences.
“Osun people are clamouring for transformation and 2018 is vital in Osun. The people are already asking for the exit of APC and we shouldn’t disappoint them. We shouldn’t disobey the people of Osun. We will still beg other people like SSG and commissioners.”
Responding, Akinbade pledged that he and other aspirants and members of the Labour Party would return to PDP and strengthen it for the 2018 governorship poll against the ruling APC.
Akinbade said, “PDP is the only solution to Osun challenges. Osun people will not be happy with us if we should misuse this opportunity of this election. To prevent the APC from rigging this governorship election, we need to reduce APC’s numerical strength.”
Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo
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