Fresh crisis may have engulfed Osun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the suspension of the party’s state Chairman, Mr. Soji Adagunodo, by the National Working Committee (NWC).
The PDP’s NWC had on Thursday asked Adagunodo to step aside and directed the vice chairman to take charge of the party’s affairs in the state pending full investigation of allegation of maladministration, anti-party activities, among others, levelled against him by the disciplinary committee.
The suspension letter issued to Adagunodo was signed by Senator Usman Tsauri, the party’s National Secretary.
Adagunodo had been swimming in troubled waters when his purported suspension was allegedly hatched in far away Dubai late last year by some party chieftains, especially those loyal to Adeleke’s dynasty during the wedding of Adewale, son of Dr. Deji Adeleke.
Even, the party’s stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s secretariat was disrupted by some aggrieved members during which some chieftains sustained injuries.
The aggrieved members were chanting ‘Adagunodo must go’ during the meeting.
The Adagunodo’s removal might not be unconnected with attempt to control the soul of the party ahead of the 2022 governorship election.
Adagunodo was accused of disloyalty to the cause of Senator Ademola Adeleke during the 2018 governorship election in the state.
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All efforts to save Adagunodo by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who had just returned into the party early this year, and some chieftains, failed.
Adagunodo suspension had polarised the party in the state with Adeleke dynasty apparently behind the plot while Oyinlola and others were against it.
This was even as Oyinlola’s return to the PDP unsettled the Adeleke group as he (Oyinlola) would automatically become the party’s leader in the state.
The Adeleke group, according to sources, believed that Senator Ademola Adeleke might not be given the 2022 governorship ticket with Oyinlola as PDP’s leader.
Reliably source indicated that Uche Secondus, PDP National Chairman, had been compromised by the Adeleke group and had assented to the ‘Adagunodo Must Go’ plot.
Sources in the Adeleke group revealed that the fate of some PDP chieftains was tied to the Adagunodo’s removal, stating that they were into the ‘Adagunodo Must Go’ struggle for survival.
According to the sources, Deji Adeleke had threatened not to fund the PDP in the state if Adagunodo remained the party’s chairman.
However, four persons had been pencilled down as Adagunodo’s possible replacement.
They are Kayode Oduoye, a House of Representatives aspirant in Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency; Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, Dr. Bayo Faforiji and Ibukun Fadipe.