The Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State Chapter held its beginning of the year interdenominational service at the party secretariat, King’s Court, Ikirun Road, Osogbo, on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021.
It would be recalled that the party under Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo has announced its resolve to hold the prayer as it would be moving into new secretariat.
The decision was resisted by the National Working Committee of the party through a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, the National Publicity Secretary.
However, the party still went ahead as proposed at the new secretariat of the party with a lot of party members attending in deviance to the threat of Ologbondiyan.
Adagunodo said he had settled the controversy about the change of the state secretariat giving the reason to be because of the change in the ownership of the party secretariat by an Educational institution ( Adeleke University) and by one of the family of an aspirant of the party in 2022.
According to Adagunodo, in an interview with pressmen the change of the state secretariat is not the first time such a situation would happen at last count this will be the seventh (7) one and it has never been a concern of the National Headquarters of the party.
Adagunodo said the first party secretariat of the party in Osun state was a facility provided by one of the leaders of the party, Dr. Olu Alabi whose property was being used as the first Secretariat of PDP but in 1998/99 when Senator ( Dr ) Olu Alabi signified his intention to vie for the governorship of the party, the party led by Cheif Lai Ogunrinade had to move out of the building so that the party could be independent of any interference from the owner who also doubles as the one of the intending flagbearers.
So also when the party was using the premises of Otunba Iyiola Omisore and the owner signified his willingness to contest the governorship position under the party, the party had to relocate to the last Secretariat at Biket junction and this was done by the regime of Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa.
Hon. Adagunodo stressed further that the same situation also arose when he was out of office during the step-aside situation and his Deputy, Elder Akanfe Atidade was acting as the the State chairman and the property was reported to have been bought by the Adeleke University to be used as its Liaison office, the Elder Sunday Akanfe Atidade and other members of the State Working Committee decided to avoid a situation where a particular aspirant would have over bearing influence on the party because of the office accommodation, hence their resolve to look for another office which is King’s Square but before the Executive could move the party to the new Office, Hon. Adagunodo was reinstated by the High Court of Justice, Ikirun and to make the situation faster, the office was put under lock and keys and for over a month, the Adagunodo led executive were barred from entering the office by its new owners.
Adagunodo therefore advised the National Headquarters of the party to interfere and put the burden of the change of office on his head because it was done when the same National headquarters forced him to stay at home.
He said rather than dabbling into issues that are of insignificant values that can further hike tension in the state, the National secretariat should fashioned a way of ensuring that the PDP crises in Osun subsides.
Also reacting the former State Secretary of the party, Major R.A. Towobola, popularly called Major RAT warned those who are creating divisions in the party to have a rethink. Major RAT said it is appalling that people cannot wait for the tenure of Adagunodo to end before sponsoring his removal since his tenure will end before the governorship primary of the party commences in about a year from now , he therefore advised those who are interested in contestig for governorship to go and sell themselves to the party members instead of attempting to buy the party.
Major RAT also advised those who are not satisfied with the winning strategy of Adagunodo to go and prepare for the next congress in 2022 instead of creating unnecessary upheavals in the party.
The program which limited attendance to maximum of five leaders from each local government areas barred aged people and those with underlying sickness from attending in compliance with COVUD-19 protocols was however, witnessed many Christian and Muslim Clerics were attended by people from all the 30 local government areas of the state and the Modakeke Area Office.
