Instituting court case sign PDP is smelling defeat over Osun West bye-election ―Group

A group identified as Osun Development Vanguard (ODV), on Friday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of desperately looking for means of thwarting the conduct of the July 8, 2017 senatorial by-election as scheduled with the decision by some expelled chieftains of All Progressive Congress (APC) to approach an Federal High Court to disqualify the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Mudashir Husain.

The group contended that the PDP was seeking to use expelled members of the APC who have switched camp to the PDP to achieve its dubious agenda.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Alhaji Isiaq Oyewumi Okanlawon and Secretary, Kamil Mudashir Opeyemi, ODV said the suit filed by the chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state, Pastor Olatunji Popoola and expelled state auditor of the APC, Mr Tajudeen Adekunbi, was a clear indication that the PDP was certain it has not foothold to face this election.

The group said “with barely one week to election, it is unthinkable that the duo, under the influence of the PDP, would seek to disqualify the APC candidate.

We must see their so-called suit for what it is, a sheer waste of time and a calculated attempt at thwarting the conduct of the election”.

“While the APC has been intensifying its campaigns across the state, PDP is virtually nowhere to be found. What is the business of the APGA chairman in the choice of Senator Husain as the candidate of the APC? And since Adekunbi has already made his choice in PDP, what locus stand does he have again to meddle in the affairs of the APC?”

The statement added further that when the PDP ostensibly called on the Independent National Electoral Commission not to postpone the election, it merely made it looked to Nigerians as if it is ready for the poll.

“The stark reality is that PDP was trying to hoodwink Nigerians making it look like it is ready for the election. The performance of the APC government in Osun cannot be rubbished and that is the attraction to the candidate of the party in this senatorial election.  Rushing to court is a sign that the PDP is already smelling humiliation. That is what they will get on July 8.”