‘Though I’m a PDP member, I doubt Omisore’s candidacy in Osun’
Mr. Jackson Lekan-Ojo is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State. The President of Ijesa Unity Group (IUG) and the National Leader of the Yoruba Youths Alliance, in this interview, spoke on the Osun PDP primary election and the chances of the party in August 9 governorship election….
What is your view on the last PDP governorship primary election in Osun State? The primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State which produced Senator Iyiola Omisore as the candidate of the party for the August 9 governorship election in the state was a charade. The ward congress that was supposed to produce the delegates for the primary election was manipulated by some individuals with makeshift names that were collated. The manipulated delegates’ lists enjoy expressed approval of the state leadership of the party without the consent of the local government and ward chairmen. The state chairman of the party was biased. He is operating as an arm of Senator Omisore’s campaign organization at the detriment of other PDP governorship aspirants. Therefore, it was a selection rather than primary election.
Are you saying this because you are not in the same political camp with Senator Omisore?
I don’t have anything against any PDP member in the state, including Senator Omisore. But I just feel that it is important to let the people know that the choice of Senator Omisore as governorship candidate of our party does not allow the best candidate to get the ticket of the party. This is obvious and you can see members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) jubilating over the emergence of Senator Omisore as the gubernatorial candidate of our party. I’m not gullible to believe that Senator Omisore will win the gubernatorial election for PDP in Osun. I have said it several times that I cannot and will not be a member of APC. I stand on that till eternity. But fielding a better candidate is the only way I can be convinced to support, vote and also mobilize voters for our party during the election. I respect Senator Omisore as a leader, as a senior or elder and I appreciate his achievements in life. But his acceptability in Osun State is low. This indicates that our own Senator Omisore is not a threat to APC in Osun State. This will give undue victory to Mr. Rauf Aregbesola in the August 9 election. Unfortunately, we all know that rigging will not work this time. As criminologist, I know that nobody can oppress a set of people with a prepared mind. Senator Omisore is rich and popular but not the type of popularity that can win the forthcoming governorship election. So, it is not as if I’m against Senator Omisore.
You are saying that Omisore cannot win the August election without the cooperation of the three other PDP governorship aspirants of the party?
The three other governorship aspirants, including Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Hon. Busayo Oluwole-Oke, and Senator Isiaka Adeleke seemed aggrieved. This is highly detrimental to the success PDP would have recorded in the governorship race. The three politicians have at one time or the other served the people and for sure, they enjoy some reasonable followership across the State. Now that they are openly rigged out of the primary election, which I see as a charade, you have tactically chased people that would have supported our party away. So, how do you expect Omisore to be able to win in this circumstance? If I can quote Andrew Jackson, the former American President, he said “If I must stand to support merit, I will merit my friends better than my enemies”. So, the supporters of those three aspirants will not support our party unless the three aspirants direct them to do so.
What is your view about the surging popularity of APC in the country?
APC will soon crash. I know most of the principal players in the APC. I know there is clash of interest which will soon destroy the party. The party will explode. The implosion is in the embryonic stage and it is growing very fast. You see, when people with ego gathered together against you, if you are wise, just pray for the spirits of their ego to manifest, you will see them fighting themselves with the arsenal they had earlier prepared to fight you. You have all forms of ideological background at the top echelon of that party and I know they cannot work together. Some were sponsored from another party to go and cause both external and internal eruption. As soon as they achieve this, they will go back to their old party. I foresee serious mutilations and PDP will remain stronger. But in some states, APC will win massively. APC will increase in numbers. But at the level of presidency, I doubt if APC will go near victory because I foresee an imminent explosion. I’m not a pessimist. But this is my periscopic views.