Osun: Adeleke’s camp worries over possible litigation

Ademola Adeleke’s campaign is concerned about a lawsuit filed by his Peoples Democratic Party primary opponent, Prince Dotun Babayemi, before the Court of Appeal in Akure. 
In separate interviews on Monday, members of the group admitted that the litigation posed a threat to the PDP’s victory in the Osun State governorship election on Saturday, adding that the party has initiated reconciliation with Babayemi. 
Osun acting PDP Chairman, Dr Adekunle Akindele; Osun State PDP Director of Media, Oladele Oluwabamiji; and PDP Legal Committee Secretary, Hashim Abioye were among those who spoke for Adeleke. 

According to reports, Adeleke’s team was anxious that foreign forces would use the case to undermine the party’s triumph. 

On March 8, the PDP in Osun State held two governorship primaries including Adeleke and Babayemi. 
While Adeleke was proclaimed the winner of the primary held at the Osogbo City Stadium under the supervision of Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Babayemi was declared the winner of the primary held at the Children and Women Development Centre, Osogbo. 
As a result, Babayemi went to the Federal High Court in Osogbo, seeking to be declared the PDP’s legal governorship candidate. 
However, in a decision written by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, the court upheld Adeleke as the PDP’s legitimately elected governorship candidate in Osun State. 
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Babayemi filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal in Akure, disputing the lower court’s decision and seeking to be declared as the PDP governorship candidate. The Director of Media of the Osun State PDP, Oluwabamiji, noted that all aggrieved party members constituted danger to the PDP victory, adding that no opportunity would be given to external forces to exploit the situation.

Oluwabamiji said, “My take is that any member of our party that is aggrieved is constituting some kind of danger, not to mention court cases.

“Grievance of major gladiators is enough as admittance of danger. I am aware that our leaders are not sleeping over it. They are still talking to Prince Dotun Babayemi and others in the party, not minding our victory at the polls. We are always better together. We are not taking anyone for granted.

“We believe everyone should come on board now so we can have a seamless administration; so that we can deliver our promises to the good people of Osun State. You know we cannot do that on the platform of rancourous relationship as a political party.”

Expressing confidence that Babayemi would yield to sound reasoning, the party chieftain said efforts are ongoing to pacify the factional governorship candidate.

He stated, “Dotun Babayemi is a prince and I’m sure that the blue blood in him will speak to his veins. We need a bit of fresh air which the good people of Osun State have put in place via the verdict during the gubernatorial election.

“We are still trying to talk to him and manage the situation. Differences cannot help anyone. We have seen the worst of what internal rancour can do to a political party. We won’t do anything that will leave us open to some other forces trying to creep in.”

The Osun acting PDP Chairman, Akindele, expressed optimism that the case would be withdrawn and the matter resolved amicably.

“In the first place, it is a mere academic exercise but since he is a member of our party and he is aggrieved, we have been meeting to find a political solution to it. We are optimistic that it will be resolved amicably and he will withdraw the case before Wednesday,” Akindele assured.