Two gubernatorial aspirants in Ondo State, Barr. Bimpe Olatemiju and Engr. Omoniyi Ogunwa Oboli has given their side of the story as regards the controversial shadow primaries held amongst aspirants from Okitipupa local government under the platform of the People's Democratic Party(PDP) where Dr. Eddy Olafeso was unanimously resolved to be the sole aspirant from the local government.
Speaking at the Okitipupa PDP Stakeholders Meeting yesterday Friday at Okitipupa, Olatemiju, a lawyer, said "I was shocked when I read the rebuttals from Sen. Kunlere and Otunba Akingboye. On March 26 this year, Engr. Ogunwa Oboli and I met Olorogun Olafeso, Otunba Akingboye and Sen. Kunlere at the Ode Aye home of Oboli. We agreed to work with ourselves and ask our supporters to sheathe their sword on social media. As a follow up, we met again yesterday (Thursday) and after lengthy deliberations we decided to cast our votes. The process was that you write the name of whom you want as the sole aspirant of the party, then write the date and sign below. The ballot papers are still with me."
Buttressing his colleague, Oboli Ogunwa who hosted the meeting said "After we casted our ballots, Olafeso had 3 votes, while Kunlere and Akingboye had a vote apiece. Sen. Kunlere prayed for Olafeso and even cursed those who will betray the agreement. Akingboye offered his Akure campaign office and even urged us to buy the form for Dr. Eddy in solidarity. They both promised to collapse their structure, that informed the plea in the resolution paper to our supporters who we know might not be comfortable with the outcome of the historic exercise. It's sad politics is now without honour, dignity and integrity. We started this alliance to 'retire' Dr. Olafeso but now that he won, we have no option than to support him."
All five aspirants from Òkitipupa, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, the national vice chairman (south west) of the party, Sen. Bolu Kunlere, Mr. Akingboye, Olatemiju and Oboli had on March 26 met to form an alliance pledging to unanimously pick a sole aspirant from the local government to enable a strong force. They had cited the alleination of their people and the need to take Ondo state out of the hand of the ruling APC.
Responding at the Okitipupa meeting, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele thanked the aspirants for at least sitting down together to reason. She however expressed disappointment about the refusal of the duo of Kunlere and Akingboye to accept the outcome of the shadow Primaries. "When you subject yourself to an election, you should know that you're bound by the outcome."
Olafeso at the meeting thanked the leaders of the party and asked that they intensify efforts towards uniting the chapter of the party. "We are all one. We know for sure that a house divided against itself is going to fall. I will keep talking to my brothers."
The stakeholders meeting however resolved to keep the conversation going as the chapter cannot afford to have a divided house.
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