- Governorship race not for paupers – Party chair
Seven of the 23 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State have been barred from the party primary for allegedly defaulting in the payment of the N1million levied each of them, towards the funding the party’s South West mega rally held in Osogbo recently.
The seven expelled governorship aspirants had, along with the 16 others, officially declared interest to contest the September 22 governorship election in the state on the platform of the PDP.
But our correspondent reliably gathered that the state Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, claimed that the aspirants withdrew from the race for failing to pay the N1million levy for the party’s mega rally.
Adagunodo had in a statement obtained by our correspondent, claimed that the party had met with all the governorship aspirants to discuss how the mega rally would be properly organised.
It was an agreement between the party and the aspirants
At the meeting, according to the party chairman, it was unanimously agreed that each aspirant should contribute a million naira to fund the mega rally.
The PDP chairman said the party and the aspirants resolved at the meeting that anyone of them who failed to pay the levy would withdraw from the race, automatically.
He said while some paid up, others could not. Adagunodo further revealed that the party gave the aspirants a two-week ultimatum to pay, but the seven defaulted.
He added that the ultimatum was extended for an extra week, but eight of them did not meet up.
Adagunodo disclosed that another meeting was held after the mega rally, when the list of the aspirants who did not pay the one million was released.
The sixteen aspirants who were able to pay the levy are Rt. Hon Adejare Bello, Sen Kola Ogunwale, Sen Akinlabi, Sen Bamgbetan, Sen Ademola Adeleke, Akogun Lere Oyewumi, Barrister N O. O. Oke (SAN), Barrister Kayode Oduoye, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Dr. Ayoade Adewopo, Alhaji Waliyu Adebayo Oladosu (Rovet), Prof Adeolu Durotoye, Oluomo Gbenga Owolabi, Hon Albert Abiodun Adeogun, Dr. Ayoade Adewopo and Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi.
The seven aspirants who could not afford the N1million levy are Engr. Ezekiel Adeniji, Hon. Dr. Amidu Tadese, Mr. Tunde Adewinbi, Prof. Remi Aworemi, Mr. Tunde Eso, Samuel Ademola Jeje and Mr. Rasheed Olawale.
The chairman said the aspirants themselves took the decision at the meeting, stating that a governorship candidate should be credible and possess financial capability.
He wondered why someone aspiring to become a governor of a state could not raise N1million within three weeks.
