By Jamiu Akinwale
The protracted crisis rocking the Osun State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party appears to be heading south as stakeholders of the party led by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola yesterday moved to unite Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo and Hon. Sunday Bisi who have long been locked in the battle for the chairmanship position of the party.
Hon. Adagunodo was in the saddle before issues bothering on anti-party activities and misappropriation of funds were levelled against him. Afterwards, he was asked to step aside and Hon. Bisi who was the Public Relations Officer of the party was later appointed to continue the tenure of Hon. Adagunodo, a development which had since degenerated into years of crisis.
But, as part of their efforts to reposition the party ahead of 2022 governorship election, the PDP BOT members from Osun State gathered at the Okuku home of the former governor to meet with Hon Soji Adagunodo and Hon Sunday Bisi with the sole aim of resolving the crisis that has held the party by the jugular since 2018.
A reliable source who was in the gathering disclosed that four issues were raised at the meeting and were discussed exhaustively; namely the position of PDP South West Vice Chairman, the party secretariat , the ward Congress, the many cases in court and the tenure of Hon Soji Adagunodo.
The meeting made a number of propositions which include: that Hon Soji Adagunodo should withdraw the cases in court; that the ward Congress having been done by two parallel groups should be harmonised; that Hon Soji Adagunodo should be supported to occupy the vacant position of South West Vice Chairman, that Hon Sunday Bisi should be allowed to run out the remaining tenure as party Chairman and lastly, that the Governorship aspirants should be called to agree on whether the building within Adeleke University liason office should be used or the new building rented at King’s Square.
Hon Soji Adagunodo in his response told PDP leaders at the gathering that he should be allowed to meet with his leaders and other stakeholders to discuss before taking any position. The leaders were unanimous in their warning that the outcome of the peace meeting should not be made public until Hon Soji Adagunodo reverted to them.
The party leaders cautioned Hon Sunday Bisi on his continuous claim of an adopted gubernatorial candidate for the party. They affirmed that the party has not adopted any candidate.
However, before the meeting was halted, various versions of the outcome of the meeting were already circulated on the social media. Some with distortions of the issues raised and discussed at the meeting.
Notwithstanding, members of the party and a number of political observers in the state described the reconciliation process as highly commendable, even though the party leaders have allowed the crisis to eat deep into the party.
Beyond the distorted side of the story hurriedly released by the group loyal to Hon Sunday Bisi, for a lasting peace in the party, the revered leaders need to appreciate the magnitude of the crisis and through their collective wisdom proffer a solution that all members of the party can embrace.
A sizable number of the members of the party believe that the only way to restore peace to the party is to press “factory reset” and return the party to where it was in 2018 and that Hon Soji Adagunodo should be cleared of the character assassinating allegations hanged on his neck and return to his position as State Chairman before discussing the vacant position at the South West and who takes over from him as Party Chairman.
It is imperative to state without any iota of doubt that any steps taken to ambush the support of HE Seyi Makinde through cosmetic reconciliation will only further divide the party. Trying to hurriedly send Hon Soji Adagunodo out to South West without first allowing him to be part of the healing process of Osun PDP will be like going to visit a C0VID-19 patient without using the protective gear.
The events at the last national convention has shown clearly that we must genuinely put the Osun PDP house in order and carry all stakeholders along in order to achieve electoral success. May genuine peace be restored to Osun PDP. Saying it as it is!