Makarfi’s victory: Renewed hostilities rock Osun PDP as Faforiji, Adagunodo lay claim to chairmanship

THE seeming resolution of the crisis bedevilling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have triggered another round of controversy in Osun as both factional chairmen of the party in the state, Dr Bayo Faforiji and Honourable Soji Adagunodo are still laying claim to the chairmanship position.

It would be recalled that both factions of the party had few weeks before last Saturday’s by-election for Osun West Senatorial District harmonised their differences to work for the victory of their candidate, Mr Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke.

But in their separate reactions to the Wednesday affirmation of Senator Ahmed Makarfi by the Supreme Court as the authentic national chairman of the PDP, both Faforiji and Adagunodo insisted that they remained chairman of the PDP in Osun State.

In a statement forwarded to our correspondent, on Thursday, Faforiji asserted that “the victory of Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee at the Supreme Court today has finally put an end to the leadership tussle between the Adagunodo and Faforiji factions of the PDP in Osun State.”

The statement reads, “It will be recalled that the Adagunodo faction earlier secured a judgment from an Osun State High Court, affirming the validity of the congress that birthed that exco on May 12 2016. However, the validity of the congress was challenged by the Faforiji led executive in an Abuja High court and won.”

The judgment which is substantive and is registered with the committee, has it that for all intents and purposes, Dr Bayo Faforiji remains the authentic state chairman of the PDP under the National Caretaker Committee.

However, Hon Adagunodo, who spoke to Tribune Online said, “I am the authentic chairman of the PDP in Osun”, saying “the congress, which produced my executive was supervised by INEC and other relevant authorities. I am still the chairman of the PDP in Osun.”

When asked about the implication of the Supreme Court judgment, sacking the Ali Modu Sheriff faction, of which his executive belonged to, he simply stated, “We will address that at the appropriate time, but my stand remains the same. I remain the authentic chairman of Osun PDP.

Adagunodo further contended that “Faforiji did not follow the guidelines of the party to become chairman.  The guidelines states that a state congress must be held, whereby party executives would emerge.

“We would call our leadership peace meeting to resolve the matter.”