Osun guber: Okowa, Tambuwal in crucial talks with Oyinlola, others

The main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) made a last-minute move on Wednesday to reclaim Osun State, as its running mate and state governor of the Delta, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, led three other governors to negotiate peace between party leaders in the state, ahead of today's big rally for Saturday's gubernatorial election.

The meeting is a prelude to the arrival of the PDP's flag bearer in the 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Osogbo to rally support for the party's candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Chairman of the Party's National Campaign Organization for the Osun Gubernatorial Election and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Duoye Diri; Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and PDP Governors Forum Chairman and Sokoto State Governor Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal joined Okowa in talks with party leaders over the crisis prolonged following the outcome of the gubernatorial primary.

This was the fourth time that Okowa has embarked on peace efforts to reconcile the aggrieved side of Prince Dotun Babayemi with that of Senator Adeleke.

A source present at the meeting told the Nigerian tribune that the meeting was held amidst a case brought by Babayemi's lawyer to the Court of Appeal over the outcome of the parallel primaries conducted to choose the party candidate.

The source said the governors held separate meetings with leaders of the two camps to work out how to harmonize likely positions on the way forward.

It was recorded that a former state governor and ex-PDP National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was among the leaders at one of the meetings, reassured Okowa and his team that Osun PDP would unite to deliver the state at the party on Saturday.

Oyinlola reportedly said, "Today marks a positive turning point in the history of PDP. They say there is fire without smoke. The vice-presidential candidate and three other governors listened and promised immediate action.

“As leaders, rest assured that we will not disappoint your aspirations. The PDP is the party that the masses yearn for. They have tasted two wives and they know which one is better. Rest assured that you will not be harmed .

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For his part, Governor Diri noted that the crisis persisted despite several efforts in the past by concerned people to broker peace.

He was, however, pleased that the leadership had managed to reconcile the warring factions in the interests of the DPP, as "Osun Sate is the test for 2023.

“First of all, we apologize for coming to the mega rally one day, we should have been here before because we are interested in Osun and we know that all is not well. All the continuing crisis and misunderstandings in Osun, many people have intervened before now but, by the grace of God, this time we will break the ice.

“We had fruitful meetings with our leaders and alumni earlier and we assure you that everything we have agreed upon will be implemented. Your leadership is competent, mature and capable, therefore, I foresee the success of the PDP in the upcoming elections Osun State is the test for 2023 and I am sure we will not be disappointed.

“Today we have an Atiku/Okowa ticket, some people took a Muslim/Muslim ticket. When God is at work, that's the kind of stuff you see happening. They took our country back 100 years, even though our country is only 60 years old,” he said.

According to sources present at the meeting, Governor Okowa pleaded with Osun's PDP leaders to realize that the party's victory on Saturday would send the right signal to Nigerians on what to expect in the general elections next year.

“Elections are on Saturday. As I watch I see politicians and I know many of you have supporters at home who will take you to the polls on Saturday. I want to implore you, this election is over. beyond Osun. If we win on Saturday, it will send the message that PDP is ready for 2023; people are yearning for a change.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) knows they have done so wrong and their only plan is to steal your votes, but I know you are the ones who can defend the votes for us, if you can bear the pain look beyond the candidate, look beyond Osun, look beyond Atiku, look at the presidency, look at what we can do together for this country.

"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 do not care. We have need you to give hope to the people,” he said.

Some of the other Osun PDP leaders present at the meeting were former Osun State Government Secretary Alhaji Fata...