A bigger tear in the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now certain as supporters of the Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel,especially candidates whose names were rejected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in favour of the candidates from the faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, have concluded arrangements to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN).
But in what appeared to be a last minute effort to save the situation, President Jonathan, on Wednesday, sent a powerful delegation to meet Chief Daniel and placate him.
According to a close associate of Governor Daniel, who was Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign coordinator for the South-West, supporters, of the governor had made up their minds to dump the PDP over what they perceived as injustice to their collective aspiration and the plans of Chief Obasanjo to jeopardise PDP chances in the April elections.
The governor, it was said, took that decision after all entreaties he made to ensure that he and his supporters who have been denied the tickets of the party for the April elections were not short-changed, were resisted by the former president, who, they accused of secretly working for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
“It is not a rumour that we are dumping the PDP. And I can tell you that the move is necessary if we must beat Obasanjo at his own game. We have it on good authority that the plan of Chief Obasanjo is to install Amosun as the governor of Ogun State, against the general agreement to cede power to Yewa. That is the reason he insisted on General Adetunji Olurin, an old man whom he knows cannot win any election.
“We anticipated the plan of Chief Obasanjo a long time ago, especially his dictatorial tendencies, that is why we made a contingency plan to save Ogun State from his clutches,” the source said.
According to a close associate of Governor Daniel, who was Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign coordinator for the South-West, supporters, of the governor had made up their minds to dump the PDP over what they perceived as injustice to their collective aspiration and the plans of Chief Obasanjo to jeopardise PDP chances in the April elections.
The governor, it was said, took that decision after all entreaties he made to ensure that he and his supporters who have been denied the tickets of the party for the April elections were not short-changed, were resisted by the former president, who, they accused of secretly working for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
“It is not a rumour that we are dumping the PDP. And I can tell you that the move is necessary if we must beat Obasanjo at his own game. We have it on good authority that the plan of Chief Obasanjo is to install Amosun as the governor of Ogun State, against the general agreement to cede power to Yewa. That is the reason he insisted on General Adetunji Olurin, an old man whom he knows cannot win any election.
“We anticipated the plan of Chief Obasanjo a long time ago, especially his dictatorial tendencies, that is why we made a contingency plan to save Ogun State from his clutches,” the source said.
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