The governorship candidate of the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Alhaji Hassan Oladimeji, has publicly distanced himself from former Senate President Bukola Saraki, declaring that the influential politician is no longer his leader.
Oladimeji made the statement on Saturday while reacting to his suspension by the Magaji Ngeri Ward leadership of the PDP amid the deepening factional crisis within the party at both national and state levels.
He explained that he had formally parted ways with the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and has now aligned fully with the Turaki-led group, which he described as the authentic leadership of the PDP.
“By my political association, I’ve been a member of the Wike faction. But I have since left them. I am no longer part of them. So, I belong to the Turaki camp,” Oladimeji said.
He dismissed his suspension by the ward leadership as “baseless and meaningless,” arguing that a faction he no longer belongs to has no authority to discipline him.Oladimeji, who serves in the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee, referenced his prominent role during the adoption of former President Goodluck Jonathan as a presidential candidate to affirm his current standing.
On his long-standing relationship with Saraki, he acknowledged: “Yes, Bukola Saraki has been my leader for 25 years. I’ve worked with him for that long. But for now, I am not working for him.”
He added that while Saraki leads the Wike/Saraki group in Kwara, he holds no leadership position over the Turaki faction.
The development is the latest twist in the PDP’s internal crisis, which has split the party into rival camps led nationally by Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Abdulrahman Mohammed.
In Kwara, the rift has produced two rival governorship candidates.Oladimeji had earlier contested the ticket under a consensus arrangement but lost to Engr. Bolakale (Kale) Kawu, who is backed by the Saraki-aligned faction.
The Turaki-led camp has since adopted Oladimeji as its own governorship candidate.
The suspension letter from his ward cited alleged anti-party activities and gross misconduct, including his failure to appear before a disciplinary committee.
Oladimeji rejected the allegations and maintained that he remains a committed PDP member under the Turaki structure.
He called for dialogue and reconciliation within the party, blaming ego and refusal to negotiate for the current divisions. He also denied claims that he is working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the PDP.
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