Ogun State PDP gubernatorial aspirant defects, gets PRP ticket

An aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Prof. Olufemi Bamgbose, has dumped the party and got the People’s Redemption Party governorship ticket in the state.

Chairman of the PRP in the state, Samson Ogunsanya, stated this on Saturday in Abeokuta during a press briefing to unveil Bamgbose as the PRP governorship candidate in the state.

The PRP chairman said the party preferred the choice of Bamgbose because of his good record and decided to field him as the party’s flagbearer.

He said, “We have positioned Professor Olufemi Bamgbose to win the election. He has a good record. He has all it takes, he will deliver.”

Speaking on why he dumped the PDP for the PRP, Bamgbose lamented that he was frustrated from the party.

Bamgbose said while he was in the PDP, he conceded his governorship aspiration for the governorship candidate of the party, Oladipupo Adebutu, and obtained the Senatorial ticket from Ogun West.

He said he won the primaries, but had his name substituted by the party leaders in the state.

The Professor of Educational Administration and Management said the acrimony and disunity in the PDP made him dump the party for his current party, the PRP, which he described as more credible and reliable.

Bamgbose regretted that the incident occurred after the PDP had collected huge amount of money from him to obtain the Senatorial form.

He added that, after the incident, the leadership of the PDP wrote him a letter of apology, promising to compensate him, but reneged in its promise.

He said, “I started my aspiration on the platform of the PDP but when I saw the acrimony and disunity, I decided to step down. I stepped down my governorship aspiration for Hon. Ladi Adebutu and despite the huge amount I spent on my ambition as an aspirant, I didn’t demand anything from Adebutu.

Bamgbose, however, boasted that of all the governorship candidates in the state, he was the most educated and qualified.

When contacted for reaction, the media aide to Adebutu, Afolabi Orekoya, faulted the claim by Bamgbose, saying he willingly withdrew his ambition.

Orekoya said, “It is so disheartening for someone who is expected to be a leader and someone who aspires to represent the interest of the good people of Ogun State to be mischievous and tell lies just for undue political gains.

“Truly, Bamgbose participated in the primary process of our party and emerged at the first primary; after the nomination of Hon. Akinlade as the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party who is from Ipokia (one zone of the local governments that form Ogun West), the party leadership in their wisdom saw the need to balance the representation from Ogun West.

“They feel the Deputy Governorship Candidate and the Senatorial Candidate of the party should not come from one single zone of Ogun West and considered that Ado-Odo/Ota should also be given an opportunity to balance the representation of the party. Upon this premise, Bamgbose was approached and he accepted with the understanding that he also wanted the party to come out victorious at the 2023 general election by balancing the representation of the party.

“He, therefore, requested for an official request for his withdrawal by the party which was done and he replied positively.

“He also fulfilled all the INEC requirements for substitution of candidates and it was done. In all of these processes, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu was not involved because it was purely a discussion between the party leadership and Bamgbose.

Punch/N.O