Exactly two weeks after the ward primary congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, the situation is still cloudy as to where the pendulum would swing among the 13 governorship aspirants in the state. All things being equal, the result of the congresses in the 351 wards across the state would go a long way to determine who among the 13 governorship aspirants picks the party ticket at the party’s primary election holding by the end of this month. But, as at the time of filling this report, the result of the election, which became a subject of dispute with six of the aspirants, including Taoheed Adedoja, Soji Adejumo, Seyi Makinde, Femi Babalola, Owolabi Babalola and Kehinde Olaosebikan filling both oral and written appeal against the conduct of the ward congress.
Former Minister, Alphonsus Nwosu, who head the Appeal Panel which was set up by the National Secretariat of the party had told the world that at the sitting held at the party secretariat barely 48 hours after the ward congress that the result of the panel would be ready within another 48 hours.
But, a call to the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Kehinde Salawu yesterday revealed that nothing had happened so far on the appeal panel’s report as he told our reporter that the party in the state was still expecting a report from Abuja.
Salawu told our reporter that the party’s decision would supercede whatever may be the thinking of an individual within the party and maintained that there was anything anybody could do or say untill the party comes up with a position on the congress.
Following the stalemate, virtually all the governorship aspirants had relocated to Abuja, the seat of power to pull strings in their favour and each had been telling his supporters at home cheery news that the report was going in his favour, a situation that had made the issue more confusing.
One of the govrrnorship aspirants, Adebayo Alao-Akala, who was rumoured during the week had to come out forcefully to deny the claim and described it as basesless and mischievous and the imagination od some desperate aspirant who wants to hoodwink the electorate.