I don't want bloodshed, says Ex-Gov Adeleke as he bows out of Osun PDP guber primary

The first civilian Governor of Osun state, Isiaka Adeleke, made a surprise withdrawal from the state's Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary on Friday, citing his fear for bloodshed if he fails to bow out.

Adeleke made the announcement at his Ede residence Friday evening, less than 24 hours to the controversial exercise.

The party had scheduled a primary election for Saturday to pick candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Adeleke, who joined the race less than a month ago, alleged that there would likely be breakdown of law and order if he refuses to withdraw.

The former governor had alleged on Wednesday that he was being assaulted for expressing his intention to join the race.

“There will likely be a breakdown of law and order if I participate in the primary election. Therefore, I am announcing that I will boycott tomorrow’s primaries. Why should I allow somebody possessed by the devil to waste the lives of our people because I want to be governor?

“A minister has continued to threaten that he would waste so many lives in the primaries.

“I am boycotting the primaries. I will participate when our party decides to conduct a free, fair and violence-free primaries. But I will work for the success of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015,” he said while announcing his withdrawal.

A former Minister of Youth Development and a PDP governorship aspirant in the state, Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, also, on Thursday, condemned the conduct of the ward congresses of the party, alleging that it was manipulated to favour one of the aspirants.

Olasunkanmi, a former senator, made the allegation in a statement issued by the Director, Media and Strategy of his campaign organisation, Ayo Aluko-Olokun.

He said he had filed an appeal before the party’s Appeal Committee to protest the alleged manipulation, adding that election did not hold in more than 16 local government areas of the state.

The Saturday’s primary has Iyiola Omisore, former deputy governor of the state and a former senator;  Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, also a former senator; and Wole Oke, contending.