Osun Election: Jonathan, Oyinlola in closed-door meeting

“All I am telling is that Oyinlola in the face of the law remains the authentic secretary of the PDP.”

Perhaps buoyed by its performance in the Ekiti governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has begun moves to resolve the crisis in its Osun chapter with a view to winning the coming governorship election in the state.

As part of the strategy, President Goodluck Jonathan on ‎Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with a former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Although the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that it is part of efforts by Nigeria’s ruling PDP to win the August 9 governorship election in Osun.

The PDP’s candidate in the election, Iyiola‎ Omisore, is the major challenger to the incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Oyinlola was accompanied to Tuesday’s meeting by the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu.

The former governor, who was controversially removed as National Secretary of the PDP, and is challenging his removal and eventual replacement in court, is believed to wield a major influence in Osun.

Mr. Oyinlola was a member of the New PDP which was formed when some PDP governors fell out with the former party chairman, Bamanga Tukur.

When the New PDP eventually merged with the APC, Mr. Oyinlola decided to remain in the PDP but to fight for his position.

Mr. Oyinlola, a known loyalist of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is believed to have also been courted by the incumbent Osun governor.

While addressing journalists after Tuesday’s meeting, the Okuku-born politician and retired Brigadier General would not disclose details of his discussion with Mr. Jonathan, but said he was determined to reclaim his position as National Secretary of the PDP.

‎He said anyone occupying the office of the Secretary of the PDP is a pretender.

Mr. Oyinlola had after a PDP meeting on Monday said he was a rallying point to record victory for the party during the Osun governorship election and the 2015 general election.

“I was taken to the villa by the chairman of the party PDP, and we had some discussions as to how to move the fortunes of the party forward,” he said on Tuesday.

“All I am telling is that Oyinlola in the face of the law remains the authentic secretary of the PDP. Anybody in that office for now, is a pretender.