THE presidency has uncovered a grand plot by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in collaboration with some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State to create internal dissension and sabotage the PDP from within, Sunday Tribune has gathered, just as it denied endorsing a candidate for the August 9 Osun governorship election.
A security report with the Presidency is reported to have captured the details of the plot which, according to sources within the Presidency, are already being implemented, citing the claims of Senator Isiaka Adeleke that the Presidency had endorsed his candidacy as part of the conspiracy.
Senator Adeleke, a former governor of the state, had reportedly told the State Working Committee on Wednesday that he was not interested in becoming the governor until four weeks ago when President Jonathan sent emissaries to him and invited him to Abuja during the centenary celebrations.
He added that former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel had called him that the president had been trying to reach him to no avail and informed him of the president’s decision, noting that the president also told him same through the phone.
However, Adeleke’s entry into the governorship race, which has brought the numbers of aspirants to four, has begun to generate furore in the party, with camps of Senators Iyiola Omisore, Olasunkanmi Akinlabi and Honourable Oluwole Oke, kicking against Adeleke’s anointment story, even as the latter had been accused of not being a financial member of the PDP in the state and entering the race as an agent of the APC to weaken the PDP.
Reacting to Adeleke’s claim, the Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi Rasheed (SOAR) campaign organisation, through its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Mr Ayo Aluko-Olokun, said the anointment story was a distraction and “probably the penetration story of Senator Adeleke,” noting the SOAR campaign organisation did not believe in the story and was still on the field well-received by people.
“It is out of the president’s character to anoint anyone; he has not done it since he became president and he will not start now. If the president anoints anyone, other aspirants would have been briefed, so as far as we are concerned, we have continued to work towards the primary and we believe that the president as the leader of the party and a democrat would not anoint anyone,” he said.
Though the chairman of the party, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa confirmed that Senator Adeleke indeed made the claim, he said he had not been briefed by the national secretariat or the Presidency about any anointed candidate.
Sources within the Presidency also informed Sunday Tribune that there was no truth in the endorsement story, saying: “How could the president have endorsed someone that is not known to be an active member in the party? Someone who abandoned the party these past three years?” adding it was all part of the APC design to use some PDP members to foil its attempt to reclaim the state.
But Adeleke, through his campaign director, Mr. Taiwo Akeju, described the allegation that his entrance into the governorship race was to break the PDP as lazy, wicked and unfounded, saying: “Those who are complaining and making these lazy, wild and wicked allegations are the real enemies of the party. They are day-dreamers. Senator Adeleke has credibility, experience and immense grassroots appeal that would guarantee resounding success for the party in the August 9 election”.
According to the statement, “Senator Adeleke was persuaded to join the race at this critical moment by concerned leaders, eminent personalities across board to save the party from colossal imminent electoral defeat.”
However, revealing some of the plots that had been uncovered, the Presidency sources said they were aware of the series of meetings that were held in strategic locations in Lagos between leading figures of APC and Adeleke, starting from September 2013 up till the end of the year. The former governor, it was said, was even offered senatorial ticket by the opposition party should the plan sail through.
Further outline revealed by the security report include an alleged decision after the deal was concluded to maintain clear distance between the two groups. The former governor was allegedly mandated to do three things; namely contact some chieftains of the PDP who had in the past romanced with the APC, link up with a federal Board chairman who is bitter over the state’s ministerial slot given to Dr Jelili Adesiyan and to openly drop the name of the president as having mandated him to seek the governorship ticket.
The report went further to indicate that the Lagos meetings put timeline for the implementation of the plot with the aim of achieving three clear goals; namely to create confusion within PDP; to stop Jonathan’s winning plan in the South-West and to stop Omisore, who is reportedly the strongest of the governorship aspirants from running against Governor Rauf Aregbesola and to intensify political violence in the state, especially in Ife district where Omisore hails from.
Adeleke, who is alleged to be angry with the president over Board appointments, was reported to have implemented the three steps required of him by the deal, as he has reportedly secured the buy in of some PDP chiefs who are known to be flirting with the APC, while he has gotten the support of a federal Board chairman who is nursing his own grouse over his failed ministerial bid.
The security report is said to be on the president’s table but action could not be taken due to the president’s state visit to Nambia, with feelers from the Presidency, however, showing that there is a pent-up anger over the open declaration by Adeleke that the president asked him to contest.
A top presidency official who was privy to the development said ‘heads might roll’ over the issue, as he said the president was very angry that his name is being dragged into issues he had no hand in. According to the official, “Adeleke first mentioned Chief Gbenga Daniel as the one who told him President Jonathan said he should contest. But former Governor Daniel was said to have dissociated himself from such claim. Later, he said the president called him directly, which is another clear lie.
Source: Tribune
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