By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
Engr. Kemi Elebute- Halle, the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the Ekiti State Gubernatorial poll slated for June 18 this year, has adduced the growing popularity of her party responsible for being regarded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in particular, amongst other political parties as a threat ahead the poll in the state.
The ADP flag bearer maintained that her party is fast becoming a household name in the state and this is the reason why some major political parties are allegedly making moves to cause confusion in ADP through a person she described as a mole in the party.
Elebute – Halle said that people believe women deserve to occupy the governorship position after the creation of the state 24 years ago, stressed that there is no form of propaganda that would stop her from achieving her goal.
Addressing a World Press Conference in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Sunday, the governorship hopeful revealed that APC have been approaching her to join them, while others claimed she is working for the Social Democratic Party (SDP),adding that she has invested so much time and resources into the race such that there is no place for being a sell out.
“I will never betray the confidence my teeming supporters repose in me, even if I will be the only one to vote for myself on the day of election “.
The ADP candidate said no political party in the state, not even the ruling party has been able to do what ADP has done across the state in the last three months.
“In the last eleven weeks, we have been able to traverse 147 out of the 177 available wards in the state to canvass for the votes of the people.
“This is beyond anybody buying people conscience through vote buying. It is to demonstrate to the people what democracy should be.
“You don’t have to coerce people to buying into your project but they will ordinarily accept your project if it will meet their needs”.
However,the ADP Governorship candidate described the purported defection of her running mate, Mr Sunday Afuye to the APC as a mere speculation which not known to the members and leadership of the party.
Speaking further on Afuye’s defection, she said, “Up till now, it is a speculation. My deputy governorship candidate is yet to formally leave the party. He only quit the party but not resigned. We are yet to be informed about this.
“Whatever he has done, it is deemed to be done under duress and for political reason. Those who pushed him into it, failed to recognise the fact that, the moment one is enlisted in the INEC published list, there is no going back.
“Afuye still remains deputy governorship candidate of the party until the electoral act decides otherwise. I hope he will trace his steps back to ADP. If he really want to leave, he mustt follow the process as dictated by the electoral law. I am sure APC is aware of this.
“So, if it is not politically expedient and permissible, he will not go scot free, if not the status quo remains”.
On the claim by Afuye that he left ADP to APC with twenty thousand supporters, she said, “Afuye brought only himself to ADC and left only with himself. He never brought anybody to the party and nobody went with him”.
