THE factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Dr Bayo Faforiji, on Saturday said only the awaited verdict of Supreme Court on the leadership crisis in the party would determine the authentic state executive of the PDP in Osun.
He maintained that his faction would leave the PDP if Senator Alimodu Sheriff led national executive wins the appeal filed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi against the declaration of Sheriff as the national chairman of the party by a Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last year.
Reacting to some statements made by the secretary of the Soji Adagunodo led state executive of the PDP in Osun, Prince Bola Ajao in an interview published in Nigerian Tribune, Faforiji contended that “I would not have issued a rejoinder to his outburst, but for the wrong impression it could create in the minds of our supporters who are in the majority in Osun State.”
According to him, “The reality is that the party is polarised in the state just like it is at the national level and only the pronouncement of the Supreme Court being awaited in due course will put a final lid on the authenticity of either executives in Osun State.
“Our position in our group, which has been loyal and committed to National Caretaker Committee ably led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi is that if Alimodu Sheriff wins in the Supreme Court, we would opt out of the Sheriff-led PDP and team up with Makarfi wherever they lead us to.
“However, if the Supreme Court affirms the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee, the PDP state executive under my leadership will be recognised as the authentic. It is a legal matter which Prince Bola Ajao and others in Sheriff camp in Osun are very much aware of since they have been sending legal representation to the court on the matter.
“If they are comfortable with self-delusion, they can go ahead, but I know that the reality would dawn on them as soon as the Supreme Court judgment is made,” Faforiji remarked.
and then