Ekiti 2018: Aggrieved PDP Aspirants In Showdown With Fayose Over Anointed Candidate

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By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti

Four aggrieved  Governorship aspirants on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have expressed readiness to slug it out with the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose over his decision on the choice of his deputy as the party’s Gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming governorship election slated for July 14 this year in the state.

The aspirants are Senator representing Ekiti South, Mrs. Biodun ‎Olujimi, former Minister of Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, former Ambassador to Canada, Amb. Dare Bejide and immediate past commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi.

They said the party stands the risk of losing Ekiti if Governor Ayodele Fayose is allowed to subvert the party’s constitution and impose his anointed candidate.

“For credible primary to be attainable, the aggrieved aspirants called f‎or the dissolution of the state Working Committee (SWC), led by Gboyega Oguntuase  and set up a caretaker committee to conduct the primary.

Fayose has anointed his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola  as the sole
candidate of the party, which had caused serious crisis within the
party.

At a press conference jointly addressed by the aspirants in Ado Ekiti ‎on Tuesday, the aspirants in their prayers,said : “they reject
without reservation the adoption of Prof Olusola as the sole candidate
of the for the July 14 governorship election”.

The text of the speech read by Adeyeye called on the National Chairman ‎of the party to exclude  Fayose  and the State Chairman of the party,Gboyega Oguntuase  from partaking in  the conduct of the primary,saying the “duo have already compromised, they have taken positions and cannot be fair to all the aspirants”.

They demanded further: “The State Working Committee(SWC) having
betrayed its expected neutrality role, should be disqualified in the
process leading to the gubernatorial primary in April . We demand for ‎a caretaker committee to replace them for the state.

“Governor Fayose has pitched his tent with Prof. Olusola and he should‎be disqualified from plating any role. The relevant provisions of the electoral Act and the PDP constitution should be followed strictly and arbitrary and illegal use of state apparatus like radio and television stations to subvert the truth must stop”, they said.

Answering questions on why they fell out with Fayose, Adeyeye advised ‎Secondus to act fast  and checkmate Fayose to prevent the calamity that befell PDP in Ondo from playing out in Ekiti.

Olujimi, who is representing  Ekti South at the Senate  added :
“whoever says we are politicians that can be wished away  will have
himself to blame, the result will be grievous.

“We don’t want to lose Ekiti but Governor Fayose is messing up the
whole process. It was because people like us worked hard in 2014 that ‎made the 16-0 possible for  PDP.

“Prof Olusola was only a beneficiary of our sweat , he didn’t
contribute anything and now he wants to be adopted  against the
party’s constitution,this we will not accept”, she vowed.

Owoseeni and Bejide , who cited Section 50(1) ( 2) and 50(2b) of the
PDP constitution, clarified that the governor and the SWC has no role
whatsoever to play in the conduct of primary, saying “allowing the
governor to have his way in a crude manner
Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose in a swift reaction to the allegations through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi said his boss has not violated any section of any constitution, whether that of the PDP or the 1999 Constitution. What the Governor did was in exercise of his own right as a member of the party and as a Nigerian.
“He has exercised his fundamental rights which he is entitled to. I want to assure other aspirants that his support for Professor Kolapo Olusola has not preclude them from the primary nor foreclosed the conduct of the primary. The primary will still hold and it is the delegates that will pickany of the aspirants.
“The governor has said that there will be level playing field. So, they have nothing to fear. Let them go and begin Campaign. They should not dissipate energy on condemning the governor. It is only a loser that complain. Let them go and start work. The governor as the father of the state and the leader of the party love very everyone and the unity of the party is very dear to him. The governor appeal to those aspirants to join hands with him so as to win the Governorship election,” he said.

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