Four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
governorship aspirants in Ekiti State have called
on the national leadership of the party to
disqualify Governor Ayo Fayose from playing any
role in the primary election scheduled for April.
They said the National Working Committee (NWC)
led by Prince Uche Secondus should disqualify
Fayose having adopted his deputy, Prof. Kolapo
Olusola, which they said amounted to the
imposition on party leaders and members.
The concerned aspirants at a news conference
they addressed on Tuesday claimed that there
was no time Olusola showed interest in ruling the
state adding that “Fayose saw him as a weakling
that can be manipulated against the interest of
Ekiti people.”
The four governorship hopefuls accused Fayose of
unilateral imposition of Olusola, using state
apparatus to promote him, intimidation and
harassment of party members loyal to other
aspirants, arbitrariness and one-man dictatorship.
The alleged imposition of Olusola by Fayose, they
said, has led to indifference and exodus of leaders
and members expressing fear that the action may
kill the party.
The four aspirants who addressed reporters are
former Minister of State for Works and immediate
past PDP national spokesman, Prince Dayo
Adeyeye; Senate Minority Whip and former Deputy
Governor, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi; former Secretary
to the State Government and former High
Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Dare
Bejide and former Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi.
They also called for the dissolution of the state
PDP executive committee led by Mr. Gboyega
Oguntuase for allegedly betraying its expected
neutrality calling for the constitution of a
caretaker committee in its stead.
The aspirants called for a strict adherence to the
provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP
constitution in the process leading to the conduct
of the primary and emergence of flag bearer for
the July 14 governorship election.
Adeyeye lampooned Fayose for allegedly carrying
out persecution of other aspirants to “a ridiculous
level” by ordering party members in all parts of
the state to reject Christmas gifts they sent to
them.
Adeyeye said: “The candidate he (Fayose) has
chosen for himself is not a person that can win
the election in this state. When you display
billboards and you are writing “Meet Your Next
Governor” on them, you are putting yourself in the
position of God and that is very annoying.
“We will not leave the party for him because he
sees himself as all-in-all but we know he is not
all-in-all. The governor being an interested party
must be put in his place and no advantage
should be accorded (Olusola) Eleka.”
Mrs. Olujimi said: “We have not come here to tear
our party apart, all we are demanding for is a free
and fair process that will lead to the emergence
of a candidate.
“Can anybody who wants to win the election for
PDP wish us away? If anybody wants to wish us
away in the party, the consequences will be
grave.
“The primary will ne held in few months and
nothing has changed. This (Fayose) was the
same man who opposed the use of consensus
when he was contesting the last time.”
Bejide said: “Section 50 (i), 50 (2) and 50 (2b) of
the PDP constitution spells out how our
candidate will emerge.
“Imposition, impunity and arbitrary action of a
sitting governor is definitely ruled out and we will
surely enforce the provision of the law.
“The governor and the State Working Committee
has no role to play except they are co-opted by
the national leadership.”
Ajayi said: “The governor may claim that he has
the right to support any aspirant of his choice but
the deputy governor has not come out to say he
wants to be governor.
“What the deputy governor has said was that he
wants to back to the university to continue
lecturing. The govenor is forcing the Deputy
Governor on us.
“The so-called was a fraudulent act, an illegal
action; I want to tell you that eighty percent of
those working with him are with us. They are only
working for the money they are earning.”
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