Opposition’s Summit In Osun Suffers Setback As Co-convener Withdraws

The planned summit on education in Osun state by a group of opposition politicians, Osun Stakeholders, may have suffered a setback as one of the conveners has pulled out of the proposed gathering.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that one of the conveners, who addressed journalists in Osogbo Friday, to announce the summit, Muyiwa Oladijemi, has told a few people, including some of the organisers, that he was no longer comfortable participating in the event.
He reportedly said he was suspicious of the real motives of other organisers of the summit.
Mr. Oladimeji, a former governorship aspirant and chieftain of the PDP; a former Afenifere spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin; and Niyi Owolade, governorship candidate of Accord Party in the last election, who also served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, are the three key conveners of the planned summit.
However, when our correspondent called Mr. Oladimeji on Wednesday for his comment on the preparedness of his group for the summit, he directed all inquiries at Messrs Odumakin and Owolade.
“You can call Odumakin and Owolade, they are the ones who have information about the summit,” he said.
Probed further on the level of his involvement, Mr. Oladimeji simply said, “I have answered your question, I have asked you to call Odumakin or Owolade.”
Mr. Owolade’s non-committal response, those close to him said, might not be unconnected with the widespread condemnation the proposed summit, slated for Thursday, has drawn.
The All Progressives Congress in the state described the summit as a smokescreen to orchestrate crisis and then blame it on the government of the APC in the state.
The APC alleged that all those organising the summit were a pack of Peoples Democratic Party’s politicians and other allied political opponents of the government.
It accused the group of merely using the summit to cover its selfish political activities.
The two other conveners, Messrs Odumakin and Owolade, could not be reached for comments Wednesday night.
PREMIUM TIMES