A leadership crisis has hit the Oyo State chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) after its scheduled governorship election failed to hold on Thursday, September 18, 2018.
The election, which was expected to produce a new state chairman, was reportedly stalled following disagreements between the two leading contestants, Pastor Aderoju and Mr Taiwo Omotunde, over the procedure for accrediting delegates and conducting the exercise.
According to a source within the association who spoke on condition of anonymity, an earlier agreement had been reached for delegates to use their blue membership cards for accreditation and voting.
Trouble reportedly surfaced after delegates had already been accredited and the national electoral committee met with the two contestants at about 2pm to discuss the conduct of the election.
While Omotunde was said to have favoured proceeding with the election under the agreed arrangement, Aderoju reportedly called for a postponement until the association could produce original membership identity cards for its members.
The disagreement reportedly unsettled some of the musicians and delegates who had gathered at the National Museum, Aleshinloye, Ibadan, the venue of the proposed election, from as early as 9am.
The source expressed disappointment over the development, claiming that members of several groups affiliated with PMAN had travelled from different parts of the state to participate in the election.
According to the source, some delegates had arrived from Saki, Ogbomoso, Iseyin and other parts of Oyo State.
The source further alleged that the use of blue cards had previously been accepted as the basis for the exercise, while the issue of original identity cards could be resolved after the election.
“There had been an agreement for the election to continue and for the issue of identity cards to be addressed within one month after the election,” the source claimed.
The source also alleged that disciplinary action, including possible removal from office, could be taken against whoever emerged as leader if the necessary membership documentation was not addressed within the agreed period.
The claims, however, represent the position of the unnamed source and could not independently establish why the election was postponed.
The development has left members of the association awaiting clarification from the national leadership and electoral committee on a new date and the procedure to be adopted for the Oyo State election.
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