SAN FRANCISCO, October 31, (THEWILL) – The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has suspended the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, for one year over his alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the rerun stage of the polls.
Omisore, a chieftain of the organisation, who came third during the September 22 inconclusive election, backed the APC, which was trailing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) then by 353.
The APC eventually won the election, arguably due to the support of the SDP candidate who got his supporters to vote for the APC during the rerun poll.
He was said to have gone against the decision of the group which urged him not to support the APC.
To this end, Afenifere, at its monthly meeting in Akure, the Ondo state capital, announced the suspension of Omisore saying his action ran contrary to its position on the election,
The meeting took a decision to suspend the controversial politician for one year for violating Afenifere’s directive which affected the outcome of Osun election. It stated the decision via a communique issued at the end of the meeting and read by a chieftain of the group, Korede Duyile.
Meanwhile, Omisore has reacted to the suspension, saying he was not ‘directly’ responsible or the decision to form an alliance with the APC during the rerun exercise held on September 27.
“It was the Osun Social Democratic Party (SDP) that passed a resolution for a coalition agreement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the party’s supremacy in decision making,” he said in a statement.
“The Afenifere’s action is at variance with the reality on the ground as far as the party politics in Osun State is concerned, he added.
“I’m unaware of the pan-Yoruba group’s directives (then) because we also have bonafide, notable and active APC members in Afenifere.
“The interest of Osun SDP was the development of the state, and of the two parties involved in the rerun election, it was the APC that agreed to implement the SDP’s manifestos, the reason the decision was made.
“In as much as I’m a member of Afenifere, SDP members in Osun State are not necessarily members of Afenifere. Osun politics is local and I acted in consonance with the position and the will of Osun SDP.
“However, I’m yet to be informed on the so-called Afenifere’s suspension, which as far as I’m concerned bypassed the principle of fair hearing.”
