PDP chairman moves to reconcile Adeleke, Ogunbiyi ahead of Osun governorship election

macfranc007 July 31, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Oluwatobi Bolashodun

- The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, met with the party’s governorship candidate Senator Ademola Adeleke and some aggrieved aspirants

- The meeting was aimed at pacifying the aggrieved aspirants, especially Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who came second at the party’s primary election

- Ogunbiyi had challenged the outcome of the primary claiming it was manipulated in favour of Adeleke

Ahead of the September 22 Osun state governorship election, Prince Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, July 30, in Abuja, met with the party’s guber candidate Senator Ademola Adeleke and some others aggrieved aspirants, The Punch reports.

NAIJ.com gathered that the meeting, which was held at the Presidential Campaign office of the party was aimed at pacifying the aggrieved aspirants, especially Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who came second at the party’s primary.

Present at the meeting were members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi and Senator Felix Ogunwale, among others.

Senator Adeleke polled 1,569 votes, seven higher than those of his main challenger, Ogunbiyi, who scored 1, 562 in the primary.

However, Ogunbiyi challenged the outcome of the primary before the PDP Appeal Panel, claiming it was manipulated in favour of Adeleke. His petition was thrown out for what the panel described as lacking in merit.

Nevertheless the national leadership of the party felt that there was the need to douse the tension in the opposition camp as it prepared for the election.

A source at the meeting which ended in the evening, described its outcome as fruitful.

He said that a committee of eight, made up of four from both the side of Adeleke and Ogunbiyi, was set up with a mandate to discuss terms of agreements between the two camps.

It was reported that the NWC led by Secondus first met with Ogunbiyi and his group before Adeleke was later invited to the meeting, where he was said to have appealed to co- aspirants to work with him.

The source said: “We were surprised at the peaceful conduct of everyone at the meeting. Everyone spoke in favour of the party and the need to work together to win the election.

“Adeleke also told the gathering that he would run an all-inclusive campaign and government if elected. He promised not to sideline anyone.

“At the end of discussions, we agreed that a committee made up of eight people be set up. The committee is expected to submit its report to the NWC on Tuesday. We are serious about winning the election.”

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NAIJ.com previously reported that Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, Osun state PDP gubernatorial candidate, does not have the West African School Certificate and did not graduate from Jacksonville State University (JSU) in the United states, as he claimed.

According to a report by icirnigeria.org, the authorities of Jacksonville University in Alabama, United States confirmed that although Adeleke enrolled for a programme in the school, he did not graduate.

His profile on the National Assembly website, Adeleke has a Diploma in Criminology from JSU and graduated in 1986. He also graduated from Ede Muslim Grammar School, Osun State, where he obtained an Ordinary Level Certificate.

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