Ahead of the governorship election in the state, Dotun Babayemi who won the parallel governorship primary of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state, in this interview, speaks on the party’s chances amid the crisis rocking the PDp in the state.
What kind of challenge does the latest twist in the battle for the PDP governorship ticket portend?
Legal tussle poses no threat to our quest to win the coming poll. In politics, litigation is never an anathema and it will be preposterous to think so. In fact, litigation, apart from being one of the basic tools of settling disputes, equally helps in strengthening the constitutionality of our democracy. Be rest assured that at the end of the day, our party, the members and the people of the state, shall be good for it.
What does it mean for the chances of your party, with weeks to the election?
The PDP has been on ground since 1999 in the state. It is not a party struggling to find its feet. Its presence can notably be felt in all the 332 wards across the state. Like I said, litigation is one of the channels of resolving conflicts. Disagreement is an integral part of politics. And with benefit of hindsight, as aforesaid, our party is not struggling to find its feet, it is a party that is overwhelmingly entrenched across the length and breadth of the state. Mind you, it is a party that had ruled the state before and performed creditably to the admiration of its people. The administration led by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola is still for good, a reference point by all till today. So for us, the springboard to triumph at the coming election is firmly established and we are so optimistic that we shall be victorious at the end of the day. This is because our people who have suffered enough degradation under the administration of the APC, cannot wait to vote them out and usher in our own administration.
You are bound to have a Plan B in the ongoing actions, including litigation. Isn’t it time you unfolded the option since the battle has been won and lost?
No battle has been won or lost. This is because the judgment came from a Federal High Court which is a first court of instance; it is neither an appellate nor the apex court. We have just obtained copies of the judgment which we are critically looking into from legal and political angles. The outcome of these assessments would determine our next line of actions. Whatever happens, we remain strongly in the PDP.
Was the current precarious situation the party found itself, avoidable in the first instance, how and why?
The situation was quite avoidable. It was manmade or better still, self-inflicted. Everything can be traced to the leadership and we, the contenders. Any setting or organization bereft of fairness and justice, will always be in a state of confusion. This awry development came along with many political dirts-animosity, greed, inordinate ambition, imposition, winner-takes-all syndrome etc. These unfortunate routes were avoidable but we, regrettably and inexplicably, found ourselves there; we figuratively became marooned in the party. This naturally bred resistance from elders, stakeholders and members of the party.
I don’t want to dwell much on those factors and/or persons that brought the party in the state into the mess we found ourselves now for some strategic reasons.
How best can the wound arising from the protracted crisis and power struggle in Osun PDP be healed now?
How do you mean? The wounds! We must be sincere in our reconciliatory efforts. We must all be ready to swallow our prides so as to pave way for the accommodation of one another. This will give way to alignment and realignment of forces within the party. But, in a situation where some people or group within the party want to have their way in everything, then that will no longer be politics. In politics, no Lord of the manors. It’s a shared aggregation of interests and never of a winner-takes-all thing.
With sincerity of purpose and unity, we can break the needed political grounds in the state by ousting the APC administration in Osun. Nothing can break out resolve in achieving this more so, that the people of the state are solidly behind us and itching to have us enthroned as the next government.
To this effect, I want to thank all those who have been supporting our party in the state. I want to appeal to our members and supporters as well as other political parties, to shun thuggery, violence and related developments that can unsettle the peace of the state. Let us have a peaceful election for the common good of all of us.
What does it require for PDP to be a good stead to win July governorship poll now and how?
Simply, it’s by forging a common front as aforementioned. Nothing works magic than peace and unity. That is what we are committed to achieving at any point in time.
Don’t you see the defection of other PDP stalwarts to the SDP, Accord, etc working against PDP during the election and why?
Politics, especially in this part of the world, allows for free entry and free exit. So defection or cross carpeting, is not alien to our political culture. Politicians do it for different reasons at times like this. Consequently, as some are leaving the PDP or other parties,many people too are coming in. So at the end, the movement of few people out of the party, will not on the long run, affect its chances, especially if we get our acts together.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Revealed! Details Of South-West APC Leaders Meeting With Presidential Aspirants
- Supreme Court Has Cleared Civil Servants To Participate In Politics, Falana Tells FG
- Battle For New Alaafin Begins As Ruling Houses Insist On Producing Next Oba
- Court Admits More Evidence Against Alleged Fake Army General, Bolarinwa
- I’m Every Man’s Choice Now, My DM Is Crazy —Eniola Badmus
- It Is Now Bye To Decency: Crazy Fashion Trends At Owambe Parties
and then