Factional National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has identified President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, as those behind the crisis rocking the party.He said that President Jonathan had not taken any step towards ensuring peace in the party since the crisis that led to the party’s polarisation began.
Oyinlola, who spoke while addressing members of the PDP loyal to him in all the 30 local government areas of the state during a rally held in Okuku, his hometown, said his travails in the PDP started in 2011 as a result of his loyalty to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He alleged that President Jonathan was aware of his face-off with Tukur and did nothing to resolve it. “Even when the President called both of us to a parley in Abuja, nothing meaningful was achieved. I also tried to advise Tukur as an elder that he is to me, but he turned deaf ears to my advice,” Oyinlola said.
He recalled that the current crisis which polarised the PDP started in 2010 when President Jonathan declared his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election and perceived some serving governors as not being supportive of his ambition.
He said: “President Jonathan called me at about 1.00a.m sometime in 2010 and requested that I should come to see him in Abuja. I honoured him and when I got to him, he told me of his ambition to contest the presidential election and sought for my support.”
“The President later told me that he knew that my hands were tied but I told him immediately that I was not a goat, so no one could tie me.
His belief was that I would give maximum support to General Ibrahim Babangida because of my relationship with him and interestingly Jonathan had 99 out of 100 votes cast by the delegates from Osun State.”
Oyinlola accused the President of taking sides in the process that led to his removal as the national secretary of the party, adding that all peace meetings called by notable leaders of the party to resolve the matter were deadlocked.
He said he had not contravened any provision of the constitution of the party by teaming up with like minds to form a parallel faction, stressing that, “the PDP constitution does not prevent anyone from teaming up with like minds.”
Recalling the genesis of his problem with Tukur, Oyinlola said: “My problem with my former boss, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur started right from my first day in office. He introduced some strange things like creating the office of the Chief of Staff and others. I kicked against this development and he took offence for my action.”
