The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun state and the camp of a governorship aspirant on the platform of the party, Prince Dotun Babayemi, on Sunday traded accusations over plans by him to appeal judgement of the Akure Court of Appeal, which affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the PDP governorship flagbearer.
Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo state had last Wednesday, affirmed Adeleke’s candidature and dismissed Babayemi’s appeal of the decision of an Osogbo Federal High Court, which had earlier ruled in Adeleke’s favour.
A statement by the PDP caretaker chairman in Osun state, Dr. Akindele Adekunle titled, ‘Dotun Babayemi vs PDP: Enough is enough..’ had directed Babayemi to stop further legal action, if truly he was a genuine member of the party.
The PDP chairman described as worrisome “Babayemi’s refusal to listen to calls by elders of his group who urged him to discontinue legal challenge on Osun PDP primary, reminding him that he was increasingly emerging as an instrument of a defeated governor.
“While the aspirant had filed several cases and failed to upturn due process decision of the party, the party noted that the last ruling of the Court of Appeal should put paid to further litigation on the primary.”
He then warned that any decision to pursue the issue further will smack of open anti-party activity and a direct disrespect for the people of Osun state who voted for Adeleke.
But reacting, Omooba Dotun Babayemi Campaign Organisation in a statement signed by Oladiran Ojedele, said having explored all internal mechanisms of the party to no avail, the option left was to seek justice through the judiciary.
“Our symbol, Omooba Dotun Babayemi is not seeking to truncate PDP’s victory but he’s out for justice, seeking to claim his mandate at the law court. Is such lawful trajectory out of place? For all those who are now crying wolf, what genuine efforts did they make to ensure the PDP is not exposed to litigation?
“Why would Akindele and those in his mould choose to approbate and reprobate at the same time. Just recently,the Dr Adekunle Akindele-led Caretaker Committee was removed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, PDP, but went to the law court to stop the party from replacing them with a more non-factional Caretaker Committee for Osun State PDP.
“This Committee headed by Akindele is the one serving as a tool now being used to subvert the legitimate wheels of justice,” the statement concluded.