Former Governor of Osun State, Mr. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has denied reports that he has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, saying he remains “a cornerstone” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and would ensure his party attains victory in the August 9 governorship election in the state.
In a communiqué issued after a meeting between Oyinlola and his supporters from all the local government areas across the state at his country home in Okuku, the former governor said he remained a strong pillar of the party both at the state and at the national level.
According to reports from This Day, the communiqué signed by the Chairman, Secretary and Convener of the meeting, Olajide Adeniji, Comrade Abayomi Adegoke and Reverend Bunmi Jenyo respectively, called on President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP leaders to return Oyinlola as the substantive National Secretary of the party as affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
“The meeting affirmed that the immediate past Chief Executive of the state, Oyinlola, is a worthy, dependable, reliable and trusted leader of the party in the state and passed a vote of confidence on him as a bridge-builder and rallying point for the members of PDP across the state.
“The meeting also affirmed that Oyinlola remains a cornerstone of the PDP in the state and a strong pillar of the party at the national level thereby debunking the speculations of his (Oyinlola) defection to APC either in principle or otherwise, and warned the campaigners and speculators of such rumour of calumny to desist henceforth,” the communiqué stated.
Oyinlola however declared that he would not take any decision without considering the interest of his supporters, his party, the people of the state as well as Nigeria at large.
“Oyinlola is a rallying point to record victory for the PDP during the forthcoming governorship election on August 9 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and will assist the national leadership of the party to reposition the party for victory ahead of the 2015 general election,” the communiqué added.
Meanwhile, the National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South-west zone, Chief Isola Filani, at the weekend said the party was ready to meet the APC in court should the party go ahead with its threat to challenge the outcome of the June 21 gubernatorial election of Ekiti State.
Filani made the statement at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State when he received back into the PDP the former Ondo State Representatives on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Benson Enikuomehin.
Enikuomehin, who was a former chieftain of the PDP in the oil-rich Ilaje Local Government Area, last week resigned his membership of the Labour Party (LP) in the state and rejoined the PDP, which he left in June 2012.
He said the PDP had nothing to fear about the threat of the APC on the election because the exercise had been adjudged the best in the history of election in Nigeria.
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Filani said the result of the election was the confirmation of what the people of Ekiti State wanted, saying it was a new dawn for the PDP in the South-west and Nigeria.
“PDP is in charge of the government at the federal level and we do not want to be left out from the main stream politics.
“But we have staged a come back to the mainstream of politics now with the election of Ayo Fayose in Ekiti.
“As far as we are concerned, the election is free and fair and if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the election, let them go to court to challenge it,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Enikuomehin, who led his supporters from both Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments Area that constitutes a federal constituency, said he left the LP because the administration had been decieful in the last five years.
He said there had been a disconnect between the administration and the people which he was no longer comfortable with.
The former NDDC commissioner alleged that there was nothing to show for the billions of naira that had accrued to the area from oil derivation.
He said many of them were members of PDP in Abuja and members of LP in Ondo State, the development that made them to have two party cards.
Enikuomehin said he and his supporters from Ilaje/ Eseodo federal constituency have decided to remain in the PDP and work for the victory of the party and its candidates in future elections.
The former NDDC boss said he fell out with Mimiko and LP because the party had no good plan for the people of the riverine areas of the state.
“Despite the N2.1billion that accrues to the state monthly as 13 percent oil derivation from federation account, the Ilaje/Eseodo federal constituency has nothing to show for the whopping amount of money,” he said.
The leader of the party in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke said a new wind of change is blowing across the country starting from Ekiti, which would berth at Osun and other parts of the South-west by 2015.
Oke advised the people of the state not to express any doubt as the PDP is ready to win back its states which were fraudulently taken away from them by the APC in the past.
