Osun PDP expels factional candidate Dotun Babayemi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun Chapter, has expelled Prince Dotun Babayemi over alleged anti-party activities.

His suspension was confirmed on Friday by the Ward Executives of Otun Balogun 2, Ayedaade local government area of the state.

This comes weeks after Babayemi was warned to drop all litigation against the Osun governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.

Addressing the press after a meeting in Osogbo, the Secretary of the Ward, Ogunleye Bukayo, on behalf of the Ward executives, said the factional governorship candidate was expelled as a result of a petition filed against him by some party members.

In reaction to the reports, Babayemi said those who expelled him from the PDP are ignorant of the rules of the party. He further described them as “mere jesters”.

Osun PDP had on March 8 held two parallel governorship primary elections in the state.

In one of the primaries held at the Osogbo City Stadium, under the supervision of Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Chairman, Sen. Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner.

However, the other primary held at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF) Centre, Osogbo, produced Prince Dotun Babayemi as the winner.

In a list of candidates later released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adeleke emerged as the flag bearer of the PDP.

Babayemi approached the Federal High Court, Osogbo, challenging the PDP’s nomination and submission of Adeleke’s name to INEC and the validity of the governorship primary conducted at the stadium.

However, the case was dismissed at the Federal High Court Osogbo, as well as the Appeal Court in Akure.

Adeleke later won the governorship election on July 16 with 403,371 votes to defeat his closest rival, Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the APC, who scored 375,027 votes.