The Southwest Zonal office of the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said three members of the party in Osun state including, Olalekan Awosiyan, Thomas Ojetade and Sina Awodire would be recommended for sanctions in accordance with the party’s constitution for “dragging the Peoples Democratic Party and its gubernatorial candidate in the last Osun election, Senator Ademola Adeleke to court over issues that bothers on alleged fake certificate.”
The zonal Secretary of the party, Reverend Bunmi Jenyo who made the disclosure in Ibadan on Thursday, also accused the trio of “employing blackmail to destabilize the party for reasons best known to them.”
Jenyo who said the zone would soon recommend the alleged ‘culprits’ for disciplinary action, used the occasion to dispel the claim by Ojetade that he (Jenyo) threatened him to withdraw from the suit they instituted against Adeleke.
The PDP scribe, in company of another witness to the peace accord, a Senatorial Youth leader, Osun East, Mr Kazeem Ogunsola, claimed Mr Ojetade willingly agreed to withdraw the suit following a peace meeting initiated by the zonal Chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso, and was never at any point pressurised to so do.
Jenyo reiterated that “the petitioner (Mr. Thomas Ojetade) opened up that the three plaintiffs involved in filing the suit at that time wanted to fight Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi’s course as a result of the party’s refusal to give him the Osun West Senatorial ticket and Coordinator, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organization in Osun state”.
According to him, the case against the eligibility of Adeleke was pre-planned, prepared and signed at the Ile-Ogbo residence of the said former governorship aspirant.
He added that it was unfortunate that Ojetade is now coming out to play double game after giving his consent for peace to reign in the state’s chapter of the party.
According to Jenyo “Having been instructed by the leadership of our party in the Southwest under the Chairmanship of Dr. Eddy Olafeso, to investigate the matter and resolve it amicably, I went to lle Ife on Friday, November 16th to hold meetings with the petitioners
“I could not locate all the three petitioners in the suit until the intervention of Ife Federal Constituency candidate, Hon. Abimbola Ajilesoro who connected me with Osun East Senatorial Youth Leader, Mr. Kazeem Ogunsola who brought in one of the petitioners, Mr. Ojetade Thomas to the house of Hon. Ajilesoro in Parakin, Ile-Ife on Saturday 17th November 2018 morning.
“I was invited to discuss with Mr. Thomas Ojetade and Mr. Kazeem Ogunsola at the venue but the meeting could not hold due to the unconducive atmosphere as a result of the various political activities at the house of the House of Representatives candidate. So, Hon. Ajilesoro suggested that both persons follow me to my house in Abere, Osogbo for a peaceful meeting.
“Mr. Thomas Ojetade who happily agreed also called another plaintiff in the suit, Mr. Awodire Sina Peter who also promised to join us in the course of the meeting. The latter however, did not show up while the meeting lasted.
“After a lengthy discussion, he felt sober and apologised for roles played in the case. As a result, he voluntarily agreed to withdraw from the case with immediate effect, in the interest of the Party.
“It was at that juncture, that he had to speak with the lawyer, Mr. Temitope Elusogbon, who prepared the affidavit, on the telephone. He signed the document in front of me and Mr. Kazeem Ogunsola and promised to come alongside the Youth Leader, to court on Monday November 19 for further processes to finally withdraw the case for out-of-court settlement. He asked for financial compensation for his efforts and further discussions were mutually agreed to be shifted till Monday, after court sitting.
“Obviously, the meeting was peaceful, no interference whatsoever, it was only three of us. I instructed my driver to drop him at the garage and offered him Six Thousand Naira (#6,000) only for his transportation back to Modakeke, his abode.
“I am particularly surprised to receive a phone call from one Inspector Emmanuel who asked whether I threatened him to sign the document. I, therefore explain to him that the concocted story of a police pointing gun at his head never arise, indeed, no policeman or any other person attended the meeting with the three of us only.
“Another surprise was a Press Conference he addressed in Osogbo on Tuesday where he wrongfully and deceitfully accused my personality of threatening him and his family.”
Also, Ogunsola confirmed that Ojetade signed the document without any threat whatsoever, saying “what actually happened is that Ojetade is trying to eat from two pots. No one threatened him. I can say this anywhere and anytime, he himself knows the truth. He should not allow himself to be used as a spoilt cook in Osun PDP.”
The trio had on 30 October 2018 approached a high court sitting in Osogbo, contending that the participation of the Senator Adeleke at, and his return as the winner of the party’s governorship primary held on 21st July, 2018, “for the purposes of electing the gubernatorial candidate of the party and his subsequent participation at the governorship election of the 22nd September, 2018 as the party’s candidate was null and void on the account of false information and submission of false documents to electoral commission.”