The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Spokesperson for Governor Adeleke, Rasheed Olawale of publishing fabricated lies against Omo Oba Dotun Babayemi and Dr Akin Ogunbiyi.

Babayemi was a Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship aspirant in Osun State during the last general elections while Ogunbiyi, before his return to the PDP, was also the governorship candidate of the Accord Party during the elections.

The Office of the Spokesperson for Governor Adeleke had few days ago published story to be published in its last edition of Osun Spring purporting that a chieftain of the APC, whose name wasn’t given, had registered his displeasure that the defection of the duo of Babayemi and Ogunbiyi would disorganize the opposition party.

Commenting on the development, the Osun State chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, today, wondered where Olawale learnt his journalism, adding that one would have thought that Olawale’s current travail with the DSS, where he has become a fugitive like the biblical Cain for causing a defamatory story to be published against some VIPs in the state, would have taught the lying machine some good lessons on how to practise his trade with restraint, decorum and professionalism.

Lawal opined that truly, when the head is rotten, then naturally, the other parts of the body would be at risk.

In the state APC chairman’s words: “There is no gainsaying the fact that Osun State is so unfortunate to have had someone like Ademola Adeleke at the helm of affairs at this point in time. Ordinarily, the media team of a governor plays an important role in burnishing his image when the need arises.”

“Unfortunately for the dancing and singing governor, his Media Office is peopled by half-baked scoundrels who equally need to be micromanaged. This is because they are criminally minded, clever by half and myopic.

“These lots, in their nincompoopery, think our party, the APC, is like their party, the PDP, that resents good idea and independent minded folks.

“Adeleke and his shallow-thinking boys in their self-delusion on Thursday, 2nd May, 2024, published in the rag sheet;

“While we are dancing and clinking glasses that the coming of the two juggernauts with their teeming supporters will further bolster our victory at the 2026 poll, Adeleke and his korope media are there deluding themselves.”

“Since their paymasters, on account of their greed and self-centeredness, have refused to see the value in these people, we have seen it and have so accepted them. The APC is solid. If there’s grumbling or complaints anywhere, it’s in the PDP and that’s why Omooba Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi and thousands of others are leaving the evil assemblage, PDP, for the APC.

“Today, who’s running from pillar to post, begging Babayemi and his supporters not to leave the PDP? Why is Adeleke patronising members of the Late Adagunodo’s camp with letters of appointments and money to discourage them from leaving the PDP?

“APC is a disciplined party that allows for cohesiveness. As such, the presence of Babayemi, Ogunbiyi and others in our great party will further cement our strength rather than divide us.

“We challenge the purveyors of evil and fabled news to mention the name of the said faceless ‘grumbling APC Chieftain’. We advise the distraught PDP to keep their mouth shut and continue to lick their wounds for losing their valuable members to us.

“Rest assured that come 2026, we shall send the figurehead out of the Bola Ige House. This is crystal clear,” Lawal assured.

Elders and leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, including Chief Olabode George, on Wednesday held a   reconciliation meeting to strengthen unity in the state  party chapter  ahead of 2027 general elections.

At the Leaders and Elders Stakeholders’ Meeting organised in Lagos, the party chieftains emphasised the need for forgiveness and unity within PDP to brighten the fortune of the party in the next general elections.

Speaking, George, a former PDP Deputy National Chairman and member of the party’s Board of Trustees , said the meeting was discuss the future of the party and the present socio-economic challenges in the country.

“Nigerians have seen the difference between the PDP and APC and obviously, Nigerians are yearning for a return of PDP to set the country on the path of recovery.

“So, the honest question we should be asking ourselves today is ,Where did we get it wrong?”

“My appeal today is to all members, young and old, from the north to the South, that we have another golden opportunity, before the next election in 2027, to bury our differences and put on our thinking caps.

“We should do everything humanly possible to ensure that the PDP does not go into the dustbin of history in 2027. God forbid this should happen to our party.

“So, this is the time for all elders and members of PDP to be concerned about the future of our great party. We should not allow the collective unity of this party to be fragmented,” George  said.

The  former Military Administrator of Ondo State,  said unity within the party chapter and cooperation of members were key to  future electoral victories in the state.

According to him, how the party collectively addresses the issues at stake will determine its  fate  in months and years to come.

George added: “It is our determination to ensure that the PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in Abuja and take over governance in Lagos State on May 29, 2027 but, we can only do this if we are united, not divided.

“We are where we are today because of self-inflicted crisis and now is the time reconciliation should be on top of our agenda.

“We should bury our Individual ambition now and not allow the PDP to crumble. We have no choice than to put our house in order.

“We are brothers and sisters, so we should put on our thinking caps to achieve a collective goal.”

He said that Nigerians were waiting for PDP in 2027, “but we must put our house in order. This is the time to promote justice, fairness and equity in our party.”

The PDP leader recommended that  zonal committees  should go round the states and zones in the next six months to calm frayed nerves and encourage genuine reconciliation:

While saying  PDP was the only party that could save the state, George urged members not to allow any sentiment-ethnic or religious- to divide the party

“Unless we are united, with equity, fairness and justice being the pedestal for any political decision taken, this party will be heading to disaster in 2027.

“If we want to win the 2027 gubernatorial election, in Lagos,then we  must have a very strong, iron-clad and formidable PDP now  and we .should not allow ourselves to be divided.

“We must change the narrative now so that we don’t embark on a suicide mission, a self-destructive journey for our party in 2027. Lagos residents are waiting for us in 2027 to kick APC out of Alausa.”

While commending the convener of the meeting, Prince Tommy Ogungbe, George lauded  PDP’s founding fathers such as Chief Solomon Lar, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Chief Bola Ige, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for birthing the party and putting it on a strong foundation.

Speaking , Mr Philip Aivoji, the Lagos State PDP Chairman and Chief Host,  commended party leaders and elders,and  said that the meeting would chart a road map for a stronger and more cohesive PDP in the state

Urging all leaders to set aside their differences and work for the good of the party, Aivoji said that internal wranglings  had plagued the party enough and had hindered its progress.

In his welcome address, Ogungbe commended the party leaders and elders for attending the  reconciliation meeting, saying their presence meant they were committed to the future of the party.

He noted that the performance of the party  in 2023  was the worst in history and stressed the need to resolve all the issues ahead of 2027.

Ogungbe said: “We have never had it so bad since inception. There was a total breakdown of responsibilities and lack of unity among all tiers of our administrative structures were at disarray.

“This is among the major reason why this stakeholders’ meeting is so necessary for leaders of the party in the state to come together and draw a road map for a bigger and stronger party that will be ready to wrestle people from the ruling party.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP elders in attendance included Dr Abimbola Ogunkelu, a BOT member and Alhaji Mohammed Ashorobi, the first elected Lagos PDP Chairman .

Other party chieftains in the state and the  local government areas  also attended the meeting

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerian workers and all citizens not to give up but remain  commited  toward a stable, united and prosperous nation, especially at this challenging time.

The party made the call  in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba in Abuja on Wednesday while congratulating Nigerian workers on the International Workers’ Day.

Ologunagba saluted Nigerian workers for remaining steadfast as real drivers of the national economy in spite the economy hardship, insecurity and other challenges facing the country.

He urged them to use their resilient spirit to resist all anti-people tendencies that seek to compromise and undermine the democratic tenets of freedom, rule of law, accountability and probity in the country.

“The PDP particularly condemns the continuing increase in electricity tariff and price of petroleum products with petrol now selling at over N1,000 per liter in some  parts of the country,” he said.

Ologunagba called on the Federal Government to review its economic policies, and take urgent action toward addressing issues that have direct bearing on  the welfare of the citizens.