AS controversy trailed the recent outcome of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship primaries in Osun, which produced two governorship candidates, a factional chairman of the party in the state, Chief Ademola Ishola on Friday said his group followed due process in conducting its exercise.
He also described the primary election, won by the former deputy governor of the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore as illegality that cannot stand the test of time.
In a statement jointly signed by Ishola, who was suspended a few weeks ago by the national leadership of the SDP, alongside his secretary, Elder Olufemi Awe, they maintained that “all the necessary steps towards the conduct of the party primary.
According to the statement obtained by Saturday Tribune in Osogbo, “Section 13 sub-section 5 (i-v) and sub-section 6 (i-iii) of the SDP clearly stated the role of the state congress and unambiguously gave the power to it as regards guidelines for the nomination of candidates as governor, the deputy governor, the national and state assembly members and local government chairman and so on”.
It reads, “Section 13 Sub-section 5 (iii) in particular explained that we are to elect candidates for governorship elections and ratify the nomination of a running mate by the gubernatorial candidate. As it stands today, Hon Munirudeen Kehinde Atanda is our governorship candidate and not Senator Iyiola Omisore. The law is on our side on this. Omisore should, therefore, stop parading himself as SDP candidate in the state”.
But the publicity secretary of the SDP in Osun, led by the newly elected chairman, Dr Bayo Faforiji, Mr Taiwo Akeju described the position of Ademola as laughable and ridiculous, contending that he had been suspended by the national leadership of the SDP in Abuja alongside his secretary, Elder Jide Awe.
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Speaking during a telephone chat with our correspondent, he averred that “both Ademola Ishola and Femi Awe are under suspension. When our Congress took place, the national body of our party sent to INEC and they came to us, the panel from Abuja was led by a credible Nigerian Professor Alkali Rufai Ahmed, a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who conducted our primary”.
Akeju hinted that “Omisore’s name would be submitted to INEC by latest by Monday as the authentic candidate of our party. Normally, he has won the election, which was credible, fair and acceptable to every member of our great party”.
and then