Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State have asked the leadership of the party to disqualify a former lawmaker, Senator Ademola Adeleke, from contesting its governorship primary election.
The party members under a group known as Concerned Members of PDP disclosed this in a petition to the appeal committee of the Osun State Gubernatorial Screening Committee.
Adeleke was PDP’s candidate in the September 22, 2018 governorship election in the state.
He lost the election to incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Concerned Members of PDP in the petition sought Adeleke’s disqualification from participating in party’s governorship primary for allegedly submitting fake certificates.
Akinloye Adeyi, a retired Department of State Services officer, who spoke on behalf of the group, said all documents presented by the former lawmaker from 2017 till date to the party were filled with irregularities.
“It is a notorious fact known in Osun State today on the controversy which surrounds the name of Senator Ademola Adeleke particularly his academic records.
“We have painstakingly weighed the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party to win the next governorship election in Osun State after waiting for 12 years of ACN/APC maladministration in Osun State.
“We cannot afford to waste this chance again. The clamour and lobbying of APC in Osun State is for PDP to present Senator Ademola Adeleke in order for the candidate of APC to steal the peoples mandate through the back door by having him disqualified relying on the decision in PDP & ORS. VS. DEGI-EREMIENYO & ORS. (2020) LPELR-49734 (SC).
“That the documents presented by Senator Ademola Adeleke from 2017 till date to the party are marred with severe irregularities as enumerated above which cannot be glossed over if the party does not act now and further implore the committee to scrutinise all documents (Annexure 1-15) attached to this petition.
“Therefore, Senator Ademola Adeleke should be disqualified from participating in the forthcoming gubernatorial primary election in Osun State in the overall interest of the party and Osun State.”
