Ousted National Secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has purportedly written a
letter dated 30th July, 2014 to President Goodluck Jonathan over his political future.
In the letter, which is circulating on the Internet, the former Governor of
Osun State stated that despite numerous attempts to convince the President of
his loyalty, he has been unable to gain the confidence of the President
allegedly because of his closeness to former president Olusegun Obasanjo. Oyinlola’s
letter is already causing observers to believe he may soon dump the party.
The
letter, 00/PDP/5, reads in part: “Your Excellency, you are very conversant of
all efforts made by me and very importantly, by respected leaders of the party
to get this matter resolved and truly reconcile all aggrieved parties.
“I,
however, learnt that you were not sure of my support for you, given my
closeness to former President Olusegun Obasanjo hence the decision to disallow
me from returning to my legally recognized position as the National secretary
of the PDP.
“I have
met you on several occasions on this matter to pledge my loyalty. At my last
meeting with you, which was at the instance of the party’s National chairman,
Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, you requested that I be part of the ongoing Osun State
governorship campaigns. Mr. President would remember that I stated that the
minimum the party leadership could do to get me to campaign was to instruct the
Ogun State chapter of the party to withdraw its appeal at the Supreme Court; or
alternatively, obey the Appeal Court order, and allow me to resume duty, the
same way the party obeyed the faulty Federal High Court verdict that ousted me.
“To the
foregoing, I wish to state that I was promised some positive response which
never came, up till this moment. The Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees,
Chief Tony Anenih CFR, has also on several occasions, after discussing me, met
with Your Excellency on this matter assuring you of my loyalty to you and to
the cause of the party.
“I am also
aware that the Senate President, Senator David Mark, GCON, has similarly met
with you and made a case for my return to office. Senator Mark went to the
extent of asking you to hold him responsible for all actions I might take as
National Secretary.
“Mr.
President, allow me to state with emphasis that what joins Senator Mark and my
humble-self is more than politics. The military family that binds us does not
know double-dealing or disloyalty. A part of our training, we keep our words,
hence we are called “Gentlemen Officers.” That precisely was why the Senate
President could most frontally vouch for me.
“Your
Excellency, allow me to also recall that on three occasions, Senator Mark
informed that I had agreed to submit to you a pre-signed resignation letter, if
that would allay all fears of insincerity; and all, in a bid to ensure that the
injustice of my illegal removal from office is redressed.
“I wish to
respectfully state that I do not go back on my words, just like I don’t abandon
my friends, associates and leaders, no matter how hard the situation might be.
“That
explains why as a State Governor, I remained very loyal to my boss, former
President Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR, even when he had some issues with the
government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, I wish to respectfully recall
very respectfully, that Chief Obasanjo never made any attempt to move against
me on account of these differences.
“The same
spirit today drives me as I maintain my loyalty to former President Obasanjo,
who may, or who may not have any relationship with your government. It was that
same spirit that made me insist on your approval of my candidature, in your
capacity as national leader of the party and president, before I agreed with my
brother-governors’ request in 2012, to contest for the position of PDP National
Secretary. I should like to state that I am not a fair-weather fellow. To my
friends, the spirit is very similar to marital vow.”
Oyinlola
said it was unfortunate that President Jonathan was unprepared to listen to
entreaties by party leaders on his behalf. He added: “Mr. President, I wish to
observe that with all these efforts by me and other credible leaders of our
party, it appears clearly to me that you are not totally convinced that I am
who I have always been in my journey through life.
“I have,
therefore, come to the conclusion that it is this mindset that is at the root
of my challenges in PDP. It seems to me that I am not wanted by the national
leader of the party; and I know that.
“Therefore, I will certainly not be doing myself justice and good, despite
everything, if I don’t think seriously about my political journey and take a
firm decision.
“Mr.
President, I may at this point, need to look beyond the party and take my
destiny in my hands. I sincerely hope that this will solve the problem.
“Conclusively,
Your Excellency, if I am doing the above and take further steps without telling
you, I would be negating the pledge of loyalty which I had earlier made to you;
hence this correspondence to Mr. President.”
Having
read Oyinlola’s letter, what do you think will be his next step?
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