The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday apologised to its former National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, for what it called the injustice he suffered in the party which led to his exit from its fold.
The chairman of the PDP caretaker committee in Osun State, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, led a delegation of chieftains of the party to Oyinlola at his country home in Okuku, where they delivered the party’s apology and asked for the forgiveness of the former Osun state governor.
The PDP caretaker chairman said the visit was not to lure Oyinlola back to the party but to apologise to him for the injustice meted to him by the party.
“The decision to be member of any party is a personal one and we respect that decision of yours. Our mission is to come and ask for forgiveness, that you forgive us in your heart and we admit that what happened to you was an injustice and an error,” Sarafa Tunji Ishola appealed.
Thereafter, all members of the caretaker committee prostrated to Oyinlola to appeal for his forgiveness.
Apart from the caretaker chairman, several other leaders of the PDP were in the entourage. This included former deputy to Oyinlola, Erelu Olusola Obada, former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adejare Bello and former member of the National Population Commission, Alhaji Lere Oyewumi, among others
Oyinlola in his response said he cherished the visit and explained that he felt concerned that issues went the way they went during his last days in the PDP despite all his efforts to ensure the unity of the party was protected.
He said the reign of indiscipline and impunity within the PDP led to his exit and the series of crises within the party as well as the division that later resulted in the electoral setback for the party.
“I want to say that I did everything humanly possible to make sure that the division did not come from me. I went to the extent of writing to the leadership of the party, the then Mr. President to draw his attention to the issues that were eroding on the unity of the party but it seemed my own sincerity about the whole issues were misconstrued.”
The former governor who said he felt vindicated by the visit and the apologies tendered, maintained that politicians must rub minds together and exploit all avenues of peaceful resolution of conflicts
“I want to take a recourse to the Bible which says “if your brother transgesses, rebuke him; if he repents, forgive him. it is on that score that I want to say I have forgiven and forgotten all that was done to me.”
He, however, said he was happy that the PDP chieftains said they respected his decision to choose the party he wished to belong to while he used the occasion to also introduce some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state who joined him to receive them.
Oyinlola advised politicians in the country to always seek for the progress of the country, irrespective of the side of the political divide they belonged.
According to him, political affiliation of politicians may differ but the delivery of democracy dividends to the people must be important to them.
Also Read:
As Makarfi, PDP leaders visit Ibadan: I am 99% in PDP —Makinde
Osun 2018: PDP caretaker committee chairman anticipated electoral victory, an act of ignorance
Osun 2018: APC’s verbal attacks on my personality amounts to hate speeches ―Ishola
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