Dramas are daily being recorded in the Osun State political circle as the elections draw near. The pioneer Chairman of the state chapter, Chief Ademola Ishola has asked the SDP stakeholders in the state to vote for the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election holding on Saturday.
A few days ago, the party’s NEC adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate, the state SDP Chairman, Dr Bayo Faforiji also followed suit and supported the decision taken by the party’ NEC . Ishola on Thursday, disagreed with the SDP NEC, by submitting that the foundation members of the party from the 30 local government areas of the state have resolved to cut all ties with Otunba Iyiola Omisore and his coalition agenda with the APC.
Majority of the SDP members, in his words, particularly the old supporters have no pact with the state APC and were not involved in any coalition agreement with the ruling party. The party was according to him faced with a situation where some people who were never part of the vision of the SDP and those who lacked the ideals the party stands for, hijacked the party and wanted to destroy it like they allegedly did to their former party. ‘For instance, the former deputy-governor, Iyiola Omisore and his supporters came to our party in April last year and you will recollect how they caused several trouble for us. He spent less than six months and now he is out again.
The crisis Omisore caused is still very much with us. We have decided to save our party in the state. We will support our members who are contesting in the forthcoming election but we have directed all the authentic members of SDP to vote for Atiku and for the PDP candidates where we have no candidate. We decided to do that because we are of the opinion that we cannot collaborate with those responsible for the killings, hunger, unemployment, nepotism and suffering in our land. It is our resolve to join hands with the PDP to bring an end to all the terrible situation that the ruling party has forced on the good people of Osun State and Nigeria.
The pains and sufferings of our people must be stopped and we shall deploy all legitimate resources to make the dream a reality. Our presidential candidates have endorsed Atiku Abubakar, so every member of the party be it a Gana or Duke’s supporter, we are bound to toe the line by voting for the PDP’, he said. Ishola who called for a peaceful polls and asked the electorate to come out enmasse without fear of intimidation also said the presidential order and the show of force by the security agencies is meant to scare voters.
