chidi opara reports' contacts in the national secretariate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Abuja have informed of a shift of the party's election winning focus to Osun state, after its controversial win in Ekiti state. Osun state is the neighbouring state to Ekiti.
We reliably gathered that the Appeal court order that the Osun state gubernatorial election petition filed by the Action Congress Party(AC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2007 governorship election, should be re-tried is the leeway the PDP needed to legitimize its hold on the governance of the state, which it regards as one of its strongholds in the South-west. It is expected that the re-trial will eventually result in a re-run election.
Based on this expectation, our contacts revealed, the party is on the verge of constituting "a formal secret strategic committee to work out ways and means of ensuring victory for the party in Osun state in the event of a re-run election". chidi opara reports have not been able so far to confirm names of potential committee members, we can however report that the immediate past Ondo state governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu may chair the committee.
The committee which will start holding secret meetings soon with PDP stakeholders in the South-west in Osogbo and Ibadan, will have its logistic needs provided by the Osun state governor, rtd. Brigadier-general Olagunsoye Oyinlola and his Oyo state counterpart, Mr. Alao Akala.
Presidency contacts have confirmed to us that the President is very supportive of the idea of a strategic committee for Osun state. "You know that Mr. President needs the South-west in particular for his 2011 project", a Presidency aide from the south-west boasted to one of network members at a function in Abuja recently.
chidi opara reports have also reliably gathered that the publisher of a national newspaper based in Lagos, whose former employee works with the President is likely to be the President's representative in the committee.
