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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Adewale Egbedun, accompanied by several lawmakers and their aides, on Tuesday stormed the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary in Osogbo in an apparent move to halt the process.
This incident escalated into physical confrontations with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other party members.
Following the announcement of the primary election results, Egbedun and his delegation expressed their discontent with the exercise.
Video footage circulating on social media shows Egbedun confronting Mr Musa Olurode, Public Relations Officer of INEC, pointing at him, after which aides began to assault the official.
The Deputy Speaker, Akinyode Oyewusi, was visibly displeased by the altercation and ordered the aides to stop their actions, according to an eyewitness.
Despite this, Egbedun continued to express his frustration inside the hall, claiming that those present had no authority to conduct a party primary in Osun State.
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Speaking with journalists at the venue, Egbedun issued a warning to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, against using Osun State as a stepping stone for his presidential ambitions.
He said, “I am the Speaker of Osun, and a leader in my state and in the PDP. We received calls while on the floor of the house that individuals had come from Oyo State to have votes that we call a drama.”
He criticised the legitimacy of the primary, stating, “It’s strange to see videos of people calling themselves PDP members. We were informed there would be a Congress, and later we hear it has been postponed.”
Egbedun emphatically stated, “This is a message to Gov Seyi Makinde: if he is desperate to become president come 2027, he should use another state as a tool, not Osun. We are bona fide PDP members, made up of 25 House of Assembly members.
He further criticised interference from a governor of another state, declaring, “We will not take that. This will be the end of such actions.”
When our correspondent visited the House of Assembly after the incident, those who had been arrested by the speaker said they were returning in the bus that conveyed them from Ibadan when the speaker’s convoy blocked them and accused them of participating in the primary.
