PDP clears Adeleke, Akinbade, Ogunwale, Oke, seven others for Osun governorship election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Screening Committee for Osun State governorship election, on Wednesday, cleared all the 11 aspirants contesting to be the party’s flag bearer in the September 22 governorship election in Osun State.
The Chairman of the Screening Committee, Austin Opara, at the presentation of Screening Certificates to the aspirants at Wadata Plaza, on Wednesday in Abuja, said all the aspirants were successful.
The aspirants are Senator Akanbi Abdulrasheed, Dr Oyewumi Olalere, Mr Nathaniel Oke, Senator Felix Ogunwale and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade.
Others are Dr Ezekiel Adeniji, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Dr Ayoade Adewepo, Rafiu Bello, Senator Nurudeen Adeleke and Prof. Adeolu Durotoye.
Opara commended the aspirants and urged them to work as a team for PDP’s success in the election.
The Deputy National Secretary of the party, Mr Emmanuel Agboh, addressing the  aspirants,  advised them to engage meaningful discussion on possibility of having consensus candidate for the election.
Agboh, who said that there was no anointed candidate for the election, added that the party had given the aspirants the opportunity to take decision among themselves.
He said that in the event the aspirants were unable to reach a consensus, the party was committed to organising credible primaries that would produce PDP flag bearer for the election.
He stressed that Prince Uche Scondus-led PDP would not compromise in the entire contest and process that would lead to election of the party’s flag bearer.
“”We urge all of you to engage in meaningful discussion and if you are unable to harmonize, the leadership of the party will not fail in organizing a free and fair primary election, just as we did in Ekiti State.
“When we were going to Ekiti, maybe because we have a sitting governor people thought we will bend the rules, but we stood our grounds and organised the best primary election in recent time.
“To us at the PDP, the definition of leadership in its context was sincerity of purpose, candidates that play by the roles.
“We are not going to organize a primary for or against an individual, we are going to do it because that is the needful that we must do to win Osun state.
“This is a golden opportunity for you all, that instead of about 300,000 members of PDP in Osun State to decide who becomes the party’s candidate,11 of you should go and decide who will carry the party’s flag at the election.
“We are sure that from the 11 of you here today, one of you is the next governor of Osun State,” he added.
Agboh also urged the aspirants to respect the party’s decision by accepting the outcome of the primaries and work as a team for the success of the party in Osun and 2019 general elections.
“By the time any of you emerges as party’s candidate, we expect that all the other tents be collapsed and everyone should accept the result in good faith.
“In other words, collapse all your individual campaign structure into the party structure.
“”We are not only ready to win Osun State we are also ready to rescue Nigerians from the challenges this government has imposed on them.
“We want all of you to support the party to rescue Nigeria in February next year,” Agboh said.
Nathaniel Oke, who spoke for all the aspirants, commended the Screening Committee for a wonderful work.
Oke assured party leadership that the aspirants would not fail the party.
“Let me make a point, within the 11 of us, the election of Osun is taking place here today. Why do I say so, the moment we harmonize, whatever their plans in Osun, the election is for PDP,” he added.
He, however, urged leadership of the party to continue to pray for the aspirants.