The crisis rocking the Osun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) resulted in the emergence of two governorship candidates: Senator Ademola Adeleke and Dotun Babayemi in the primary election held on Tuesday, ahead of the state’s governorship election billed for July 16.
While Adeleke, a former Osun West Senator, was declared winner of the primary election held by the faction backed by the party’s national working committee, Babayemi emerged candidate of the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-backed faction of the party.
The main primary which produced Adeleke, known popularly as the Dancing Senator, which held at the 10,000 capacity Oshogbo stadium was, however, also contested by Babayemi.
Senator Adeleke was also the PDP’s flagbearer in 2018 when he lost to incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress in controversial circumstances.
Chief Electoral Officer of the Osun PDP primary, Abiye Sekibo, said that Senator Adeleke won over 1,800 votes with the rest of the five candidates on the ballot sharing just five votes.
He described the election as “smooth and calm.”
However, the Oyinlola-backed faction held its primary on Tuesday at the WIDCOF event centre in Osogbo.
But Mr Sekibo said he was not aware of such a primary.
“I am not aware that there was a parallel primary. We have a letter signed by our party’s National Working Committee constituting our election committee. And we are complete,” he told Channels TV.
The parallel primaries came on the back of factional leadership of the PDP in the state.
While Chief Sunday Bisi is the chairman of the NWC backed PDP in the state, Soji Adagunodo, a former chairman of the party, is insisting that he handed over to Barr Wale Ojo.