Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, governors of Sokoto and Bayelsa States, Aminu Tambuwal and Duoye Diri, on Wednesday met some leaders of the party in Osun state, identified as supporters of Mr. Dotun Babayemi, with a view to enlist their support for the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
Osun PDP has been polarised into Adeleke and Babayemi factions after the two groups held separate governorship primaries.
Adeleke’s emergence, however, stood after a Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo recognised it and dismissed the suit filed by Babayemi.
Present at the meeting held behind closed doors at the private residence of Senator Olu Alabi in Osogbo were; ex- Osun governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the PDP national vice chairman, South West, Soji Adagunodo.
Spokesperson, Babayemi Campaign Organisation, Kayode Oladeji, who confirmed to our correspondent that the meeting held and ended some minutes to 8pm, as well as those in attendance, also said Senator Okowa while addressing PDP members that waited outside the venue, pleaded with them to support Adeleke.
A statement by Oladeji quoting Okowa further read in part “I want to plead with you, this election is beyond Osun election, if we win on Saturday, it will send a message that PDP is ready for 2023; people are yearning for a Change.
“If we’re going to turn this country around, we must work together to share the gospel, so we can give hope to our people, elders and young ones that Nigeria will be better for everyone and I believe that the message will be passed across in Osun as you will be the ones to pass the message across that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
“APC knows they’ve done so badly and their only plan is to steal your votes but I know you’re the ones who can defend the votes for us, if you can take the pain you have in your heart away. Look beyond the candidate, look beyond Osun, look at Atiku, look at the presidency, look at what we can do for this country together.
“We cannot allow this country to continue to suffer, we cannot allow our children to continue to live without hope, our children have been at home for several months and they don’t care. We need you to restore the hope in the people. As you go back home, please take this message back home and let’s lead our people to the polls on Saturday and lead the party to victory on Saturday.”
Also speaking, Oyinlola, who spoke on behalf of leaders that attended the meeting, said the governors have listened to them and promised immediate action.
Punch