PDP adopt Oyinlola as consensus candidate for deputy national chairman

By ADEOLU ADEYEMO, Oshogbo

The South-West Zonal Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday adopted Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the consensus candidate of the deputy national chairman of the party.

The zonal executive committee members described Oyinlola as the right fit, in a communiqué signed by Paul T. Olakunle, National Ex-Officio, Comrade Seyi Bamidele, South West Zonal Youth Leader, Tunde Adewoyin, South West Zonal Financial Secretary and Sikiru Araoye.

The communique read: “unless one is a stranger in Osun and indeed in the South West will he not support Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola for the position.

“The Zonal Executive reiterated the need for everybody’s support for Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as a necessary and reasonable decision because there is no achievement anybody can point to in Osun State today as a member of PDP without the mention of the name of Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

“The Zonal Executive, however, commended the leadership of the party in the entire Southern Region of the country for counting Osun State worthy of presenting a candidate for the position and promised that Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola will handle the precarious situations in the party with utmost diligence and complete sincerity.”

The South West Zonal Executive members therefore appealed to PDP members to rally round and ensure that peace reigns in the party and to prepare the party for victory ahead of governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun State starting from November, this year.

Commenting on Oyinlola’s adoption, Erelu Olusola Obada, former Deputy Governor of Osun State and former Minister of Defence, said, ” the adoption of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola by all leaders of thought in Osun State as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun and the South West for the position of the Deputy National Chairman is a lofty idea that I have no objection to than to give it my full support and endorsement.

“Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola remains our only credible rallying point for all members of the party, not only in Osun but in the entire South West region.”

Also, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Former Deputy National Chairman, South; Member, BoT; Chairman, Elders’ Caucus, remarked that:

“In the light of the prevalent circumstances and the zoning of the Deputy National Chairmanship of PDP to the South West, I have also lent my credence and support for the adoption of former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the only candidate of Osun State and the South West. Prince Oyinlola has also been adopted as the overall leader of the party in Osun State.”

In his own submission, Senator Olu Alabi, first gubernatorial candidate of PDP in Osun State and Chairman of FCDA,ember of BoT, posited that, “emergence of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State and his adoption by all leaders is a welcome development which I also wholeheartedly agree with.”

“I support him as the overall leader of the party in the state as moved by all the leaders in the state.”

Also, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and a governorship aspirant under the platform of PDP has declared his support for Oyinlola for the position of Deputy National Chairman (South) in the coming convention.

In a release made available by his media aide, Mr Tunji Ajayi, Ogunbiyi affirmed that in Osun PDP today there is no person more suitable for the position than the former governor taking into consideration his experience, capacity and global network. Dr Ogunbiyi enjoined all leaders and members of Osun PDP to support him.

“When you have Omooba Oyinlola as your DNC working with other national officers the party at the national level is poised to take over governance in 2023,” he said.

Ogunbiyi thanked Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and other leaders for zoning the position to Osun PDP.

In his own assessment Senator Francis Ade Fadahunsi, member, National Assembly, Senate Chamber, said, ” the decision of all leaders of PDP from all the 30 local government areas of Osun State and the Ife East Area Office, Modakeke to adopt Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the consensus candidate of entire Osun PDP members and leaders for the post of the Deputy National Chairman is a welcome development and a right step in the right direction which all lovers of the party in the state must adopt.

“The fact that the entire South West leaders have adopted Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the consensus candidate of the region for the Deputy National Chairman of the party makes the adoption of Oyinlola by his state leaders a good and sensible decision.

“The coming on board of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the consensus candidate of the South West leaders of PDP and his adoption by leaders and members of Osun State chapter of the party is a deserved one.

“Prince Oyinlola remains the only elected governor of Osun State from the platform of PDP since the beginning of the current Nigeria’s nascent democracy in 1999 to date. His performances while in government remain our party’s credentials to use for campaigns by anybody who wants to contest under the platform of the party.

“Our leaders’ decision to adopt him as the consensus candidate of our party in Osun for the office of the post of Deputy National Chairman, South, will go a long way in sanitizing the party, not only in the South West but also in the country.”

Sanya Omirin, former Executive Chairman of Atakunmosa East LG and former member of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, described Prince Oyinlola’s adoption as a welcome development which all lovers of peace must embrace.

According to him, ” the choice of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the sole candidate of the party for the DNC, South is the most accurate step ever taken by Osun leadership of the party in recent time .We have rekindled greater hope of uniting the party with his emergence”.

Elder Segun Odekunmi, Secretary of the Elders’ Caucus of Osun PDP, also submitted that, “Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s adoption today as consensus candidate by Osun State PDP leaders and members for the position of Deputy National Chairman, South did not come to me as a surprise because of his antecedents.”

Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade, a former SSG of Osun State, further maintained that,”Prince Oyinlola still remains our only elected governor of PDP in Osun State and he has played the fatherly role expected of him.”

“He has been the employer of everybody who calls himself a political office holder under PDP of today in Osun State because everybody is building on the foundation he laid down as a man of high moral repute and enviable conscience.

“The resolute nature of Prince Oyinlola to ensure that peace remains in Osun PDP is worthy of emulation by all party members and his adoption by the leaders is worthy of emulation and must be supported by all well meaning members of our party for a lasting peace to reign, not only in Osun but in the entire South West region and beyond.” (Nigerian Tribune)