Osun rerun: SDP chief disagrees with Omisore, says ‘we can’t align with APC; state govt declares Thursday public holiday

Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, Chairman, Strategy and Mobilisation, Social Democratic Party (SDP), South-West zone, on Wednesday, said that it was not feasible for the party to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Osun State governorship rerun election fixed for Thursday.
This is a clear departure from the position of SDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who said the party had agreed to work for the ruling APC in the rerun.
The re-run will take place in three polling units in Orolu Local Government Area, one polling unit in Osogbo Local Government Area, one polling unit in Ife North Local Government and two polling units in Ife South Local Government Areas.
Pearse, who expressed the view in Lagos, said: “Don’t forget we have an agreement at the national level; the MoU we signed with 35 other parties to jointly fight the 2019 elections and other elections, and oust APC administration.
“I don’t see why the SDP will align itself with an administration that has failed the nation. We will not support APC and I will be shocked and be very disappointed if our party has anything to do with APC in Osun,” Pearse said.
On whether the party’s position on the matter had been discussed at the national level, the SDP chieftain said that the position of the party’s national leaders was to talk with PDP.
He said that the party would actualise its national agreement with the PDP and others to work together.
Pearse, a university teacher, condemned APC’s failure to demonstrate clear ideology on restructuring, payment of workers’ salary and other welfare packages for Nigerians.
PDP and APC chiefs had claimed to have secured the support of Omisore, who came third in the September 22 governorship election.
The elections, contested by 48 political parties, was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the ground that the margin of PDP’s victory was lesser than the number of cancelled votes in seven polling units.
Ademola Adeleke of the PDP scored the highest with 254,698 votes, ahead of Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who polled 254,345, while Omisore, who hails from Ife Central Local Government Area, polled 128,049.
Omisore had earlier declared that SDP would work with APC.
Omisore made this known at a news conference attended by the National Chairman of SDP, Prof. Yemi Farounbi, on Wednesday in Ile-Ife.
Ife North and Ife South, believed to be the political stronghold of Omisore, is part of the four local governments that governorship re-run election will take place.
Omisore came third with 128,049 votes during the last Saturday governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Fuwape declared the election inconclusive.
He said the margin between the leading candidate 353 votes was lower than number of registered voters in the affected areas.
Since the declaration of the election inconclusive in the two local government areas, APC and bigwigs have been patronising Omisore to support them in the Thursday rerun election.
Omisore said decision of APC to accept his party manifestoes led to the coalition.
Omisore said SDP was left with no option than to pitch tent with APC, after PDP failed to respond to his party terms and condition for a coalition government among other reasons.
He said: “We have accepted to support the APC for victory in the rerun election tomorrow and thereafter form a coalition government.”
“ Our conclusion to form a coalition government is based on the party that is ready to work with SDP to adopt and implement the core values of our party, “ he said.
He listed the core values of SDP as social justice, equality and good governance.
“Our core values and philosophy, as indicated in our SDP manifestoes, have all been presented to APC and PDP.
“APC has since come back to accept all the conditions proposed to them by us, to form a coalition government while the PDP is yet to respond.
“We now, therefore, as a party (SDP), accept to support APC for victory in the re-run election tomorrow and, thereafter, form a coalition government.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government, on Wednesday, declared Thursday as public holiday to enable electorate vote in the re-run.
A statement by Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo, noted that the public holiday was to enable workers to participate in the election.