The festering crisis in the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party deepened on Thursday night when 14 governorship aspirants of the party shunned a meeting called by Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola at the Government House, Osogbo.

Oyinlola had called the meeting in order to put an end to the crisis, which has polarised the party ahead of the 2011 general elections.

The crisis emanated over the tussle for the party’s governorship ticket with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and Oyinlola rooting for the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Chief Iyiola Omisore.

An exclusive story by The PUNCH on Thursday, quoted some leaders of the Osun PDP as warning the national leadership of the party that the ghost of the slain Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige, would haunt Osun PDP if Omisore was fielded as the governorship candidate.

The letter, written to the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, warned that Ige was still loved by the people of the South-West, stressing that fielding Omisore would make the PDP lose Osun State in the 2011 general elections.

Several members of Osun PDP have said that they preferred Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to emerge victorious in his petition being heard by an Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan, instead of Omisore emerging as the PDP candidate.

An investigation revealed that some of the governorship aspirants were working closely with the Osun ACN with a view to wresting the state from the grip of the Oyinlola-Omisore group.

The senatorial ambition of Oyinlola has been under severe threat with many leaders of the party threatening to scuttle his ambition and work for incumbent senator of Osun-Central, Chief Simeon Oduoye.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who waded in the crisis a few days ago, is favourably disposed to the 14 aspirants opposed to Omisore’s candidature.

The aspirants are a former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Akinade Akinbade; a former Chief of Staff, Elder Peter Babalola; a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, Chief Segun Bamigbetan-Baju; incumbent Chairman, Ife-East Local Government Council, Chief Gbenga Owolabi.

The list includes Chief Wahab Toye, Chief Femi Alafe-Aluko, Chief Gbenga Onigbogi, Chief Fatai Sarumi, Chief John Fasogbon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Nathaniel Oke; Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Wire and Cable Limited, Alhaji Lateef Bakare; and a university lecturer, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, Toye, who is a former Majority Leader in the state House of Assembly, said the 14 aspirants boycotted the meeting in order to avoid fracas.

According to Toye, the group decided to boycott the meeting when three personalities, Messrs Ropo Oyewole, Lere Oyewumi, and Olowofoyeku, who are close to Omisore, were announced to have collected governorship forms.

Toye said, “We respect our governor so much; he is still our leader. We decided not to attend the meeting because the three personalities that were announced to have collected governorship forms are friends of Omisore.

“Our group too could have sponsored 10 more aspirants to buy forms but we don’t want fracas; this is why we stayed back from the meeting.”