Olunloyo denies signing letter on PDP congresses

By Niyi Adebimpe and Tope Abiola - 25.02.2008

FORMER governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, has denied media reports that he was a co-signatory to a letter sent to the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the ongoing congress of the party in the state.

Olunloyo, in a release made available to the Nigerian Tribune, lamented the inclusion of his name as a “co-signatory to the document on the subject matter,” saying “the problems of the PDP are very deep, cancerous and for that matter, malignant.”

“To say the least, I am both distressed and horrified by being associated with some partisan views on the Oyo State political situation when I have tried very much to keep a very reflective mind on the overall political situation in the South West in general and Oyo State in particular,” he said.

Giving details of what might have led to the inclusion of his name as a co-signatory to the documents, Dr. Olunloyo said “Chief Akinjide called me up to his house on Sunday, February 17, for some political purpose. I was the first to arrive and the first to leave after the subject matter was broached by him partly in the presence of Elder Wole Oyelese.

“I made it clear that I was not interested in the issue. There was to be a letter to be sent to chairman, Adamu Ciroma, in Abuja and a press conference regarding the PDP congresses in Oyo State. I did not agree to take part in any press conference nor was I a signatory to any statement on the issue.

“It pained me intensely to read in the national dailies that I was co-signatory to a document on the subject matter. I emphasised to Chief Akinjide, with whom I normally have very vibrant brainstorming sessions on virtually half of the subjects under the sun, that I do not agree at all with his reading of events. I do not even agree with his view about Adedibu as a political phenomenon. I also made it clear that I was very critical of the PDP or whatever was left of it after the astonishing damage it inflicted on itself - no thanks to Obasanjo, Bode George, Ali and co. in the last one year.

“I am very clear in my mind that the problems of the PDP are very deep, cancerous, and for that matter, malignant. Desperate diseases are by desperate means cured.

I will like to appeal to all and sundry in Oyo State to be calm and peaceful. It is my firm opinion that too many embarrassing and awkward things happen inside this party. For instance, President Yar’Adua at the federal level and Governor Akala at Oyo State level do not seem to enjoy the right of way as leader of the party at their respective levels.

“I find it astonishing that these people are underrated. If only all contestants in Oyo State would reco-gnise and deal straight with Akala as leader of the party, all should be well. It is amazing that some people needlessly choose to underrate Akala!

“As for Adedibu, it must be mentioned in his favour that he has been consistently exploited and then later condemned. Adeojo invited him from the APP into the PDP for the sake of the PDP Ogbomoso congress of the time; Ladoja exploited him for his gubernatorial candidature; Akinjide exploited him as Obasanjo’s “arrowhead” of the PDP in Oyo State, ostensibly to get rid of Adeojo as Deputy National Chairman (South); and, finally, Obasanjo exploited him to foment constitutional chaos during the clever-by-half Ladoja impeachment saga! How the wheel of evil turns round. Perhaps in all these, it could be maintained that Adedibu was as much exploited as he was portrayed as an exploiter.”