By Daud Olatunji
AHead of the 2015 governorship election in Ogun State, the People’s Democratic Party may have been in a fixed over the choice of its flag-bearer to slug it out with the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Amosun who is seeking re-election in the coming elections on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, is an Egba man and the first Muslim democratically elected governor in the 38-year-old state.
In the PDP, it is currently said to be controlled by three groups; Buruji Kashamu’s camp, which has the grip of the structure in the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel group which recently rejoined the party, and Jubril Martins-Kuye group, which comprises Bankole and other party bigwigs.
Kashamu Buruji
Barely three months to the polls, no fewer than 11 aspirants have thrown their hats into the ring to become the party’s flag-bearer.
This development, has indeed caused suspicion among the three groups in the party, as the three groups have continued playing fast on one another.
The recent wards and local government congresses have indicated that the party was no more solely being controlled by the Kashamu camp as other groups have been reasonably accommodated.
South West Voice reliably gathered that recently, attempts were made to dissolve the state’s executive of the party, to pave way for other groups in the party. This move was vehemently resisted by the Kashamu group which reportedly threatened the other groups with court action.
A reliable source confided in our correspondent that the party might not hold its governorship primaries, but, would pick a consensus candidate among the aspirants.
But, the signal from the Kashamu group showed otherwise, while the other groups seem to be comfortable with the consensus arrangement.
The aspirants who have shown keen interest for the plum job include Abiodun Akinlade, Gboyega Isiaka, Segun Adewale, Sharafa Ishola, Dimeji Bankole, Anthony Ojesina, Yomi Majekodunmi, Prince Yanju Lipede, Kayode Amusan, Remilekun Bakare and Rafiu Ogunleye.
Findings have shown that the party is sharply divided into two groups now, over which zone to produce the candidate for the party.
It was gathered that, the Kashamu group was said to be supporting Yewa-Awori agenda to produce the party’s flag-bear while the other groups and powerful politicians in Abuja seem to be looking in the direction of Ogun central.
Powerful politicians
Those who were being reportedly touted by the Kashamu group include; Akinlade, Isiaka and Adewale from Yewa-Awori, even as the group has lined up Yanju Lipede from Ogun Central and Rafiu Ogunleye from Ogun East as plan B.
But, the other groups headed by Daniel and Martins-Kuye have been said to be rooting for a candidate from Ogun Central to fly the kite of the party in the coming election.
The calculation by Daniel and Martins-Kuye groups, according to the findings is that, the only means to dislodge Amosun is to split the block votes in Ogun Central where Amosun hails from by fielding an Egba man who preferably must be a Muslim.
In the situation where it is not possible, a candidate from Ogun West who must be a Muslim could come on board.
This necessitated the suggestion of the choice of either Dimeji Bankole or Sharafa Ishola who hail from Ogun Central from some quarters as the party governorship candidate.
The Kashamu factor came to play in the choice of governorship candidate as he was reported to have vehemently resisted the moves to foist Bankole on the party.
Kashamu who installed the state executive of the party through several court injunctions was reported to have insisted that it is the turn of Yewa-Awori people to produce the governor of the state.
A member of Kashamu group confided in our correspondent that, several efforts had been made to persuade Akinlade and Isiaka to step down for each other for the sake of the zone, but, it has not been fruitful.
The source said, because the two aspirants stick to their guns to run for governorship, there has been secret moves to look for alternative candidates from the same zone. This brought the choice of Segun Adewale to the fore.
It was further gathered that, Adewale had been reportedly given a go-ahead to obtain a form and begin pasting of posters and erecting bill boards to announce his governorship ambition.
As part of its strategy, Daniel and Martins-Kuye groups have stopped talking to the media, as they have relocated to Abuja where they engage in serious consultation and lobby of the party’s national leaders.
However, the Kashamu group during the recently concluded wards congress raised alarm over alleged attempt by Daniel and Martins-Kuye groups.
A week after, the tune changed as the national leader of the party accommodated all the groups in delegates list.
In the list, Daniel, Kashamu and other leaders of the party which cut across all the groups emerged as national delegates from Ogun State in the local government congress held in the 20 council areas of the state.
Daniel, Kashamu and others were elected to represent their local government areas at the December 6 national convention of the party where President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be elected at the party’s presidential standard bearer for the 2015 election.
While Daniel emerged from Sagamu Local Government Area, Kashamu and Abiola-Edewor won as national delegates to the convention in Ijebu North and Abeokuta North, respectively.
National delegates
Daniel and Kuye
Also elected as national delegates were the two former deputy governors of the state, Alhaji Rafiu Ogunleye and Alhaja Salimot Badru to represent Ijebu East and Ipokia local government areas.
Two former state chairmen of the PDP in Ogun, Chief Joju Fadairo and Bashorun Dayo Shoremi also emerged as national delegates from Ifo and Odeda Local Government Areas, respectively.
Other party leaders who also emerged as national delegates include retired General Kehinde Fasasi (Remo North); Otunba Tunde Olowu (Ijebu North East); Dr. Femi Majekodunmi (Abeokuta South); Babatunde Osholake (Obafemi Owode) and Mary Ogunjobi (Imeko Afon).
The state Chairman of the Ogun PDP, Chief Bayo Dayo expressed delight that Daniel and others who just made a return to the party after so many years outside its fold have been fully accommodated and integrated by this development.
Dayo said with the new-found unity within the PDP in Ogun State, the party was set to upstage the ruling All Progressives Congress in the next year’s elections.
Therefore, as Daniel returns to his former position as the leader of the party by virtue of his status as former governor on the platform of the PDP, the choice of who becomes the party governorship candidates among others would definitely pass through his ‘table’.
The PDP seems to be gripped with fear over the resultant effect of its primaries or consensus arrangement. Some of the aspirants have been reportedly threatened that, they would dump the party for another party if the PDP cheats on them.
It was reliably gathered that, whoever, the party chooses as it’s party governorship candidate among the other aspirants would have so many issues to contend with.
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