BY ABISOYE JOHNSON
THE court backed Leke Shittu leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State has said that the party is set to participate in tomorrow’s local government elections.
Shittu in a statement signed by him and made available to journalists at the state capital said that the clarification became imperative, owing to the confusion generated by a statement credited to a factional leader of the party, Sikirulai Ogundele, which said that the PDP had pulled out of the local government elections.
The clarification may indicate that the Ladi Adebutu backed faction may be losing its grip on Ogun PDP, analysts have said.
Shittu said, “This is to inform the general public and good people of Ogun State that the party has and will never pull out of tomorrow’s local government elections. We have done all that we are supposed to do under the law and we will surely participate in tomorrow’s local government elections.
“We hereby use this medium to urge the good people of Ogun State to disregard the statement credited to one Hon Sikirulai Ogundele who is not in any capacity capable to speak on behalf of our great party, PDP. It’s all gimmicks to create confusion where there is none but as the authentic leadership of Ogun PDP, the opposition party is participating in tomorrow’s local government elections.”
However, Ogundele had, in a previous statement said, “Sequel to the judgement of the Ogun State High Court, Isabo in suit no M/55/2021 between Sikirulai Ogundele VS OGSIEC, affirming the consent judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja as delivered on 22nd June, 2021, the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the able Chairmanship of Alh (Dr) Sikirulai Ogundele hereby makes the following pronouncement:
“That consequence upon the said judgement in suit M/55/2021, Ogun State PDP withdraws its participation in the Ogun State Local Government Election which is scheduled for Saturday 24th July, 2021.
“That all candidates of the party who have been earlier screened by the party to contest in the LG election and all our teeming party members and loyal supporters are enjoined to remain calm and sustain their confidence in the leadership of the party.”
Ogundele had sued OGSIEC for dealing with a faction in the party, claiming that the electoral umpire was assisting the opposition to destabilise the PDP in the state.
The OGSIEC Chairman, Babatunde Osibodu, however, denied fuelling the crisis in the PDP, saying he handed over the forms of the party to the faction with the authentic documents.
