Four leading governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State have urged the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and other National Working Committee members to stop Governor Ayodele from imposing a candidate for the July 2018 governorship election.
The governor has endorsed his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the “ most preferred candidate ” for the party in the election.
The aggrieved aspirants are a former Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator representing Ekiti South, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi; a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Dare Bejide and the immediate past commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi.
At a joint press conference in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, they argued that the party stood the risk of losing Ekiti if Fayose was allowed to subvert the party ’ s constitution and impose his anointed candidate.
They called for the setting up of a caretaker committee to conduct the primary.
Specifically, the aspirants want the national leadership of the party to stop the governor and the Gboyega Oguntuase – led State Executive Committee from playing any role in the process leading to the PDP primary.
They argued that the duo had already compromised, having taken positions and cannot be fair to all the aspirants.
Adeyeye, who read the text of the press conference, said, “ We reject without reservation the adoption of Prof Olusola as the sole candidate for the July 14 governorship election.
“ The State Working Committee having betrayed its expected neutrality role, should be disqualified in the process leading to the gubernatorial primary in April. We demand a caretaker committee to replace them for the state.
“ Governor Fayose has pitched his tent with Prof Olusola and he should be disqualified from playing 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. ”
Adeyeye advised Secondus to act fast and caution Fayose to prevent the calamity that befell the PDP in Ondo from playing out in Ekiti.
In her contribution, Olujimi warned that no politician that wanted to win the election in the state could wish any of them away.
“ 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 did ’ t contribute anything and now he wants to be adopted against the party ’ s constitution, this we will not accept, ” she vowed.
