Ahead of the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State, some delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have declared support for former deputy governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola, popularly known as Eleka.
The former deputy governor received a major boost as statutory delegates from Emure local government Area of the state, declared support for his aspiration.
At a meeting with Ayo Fayose on Sunday in Afao Ekiti, the home town of the former governor, the statutory delegates, numbering over 45, refused to bend to pleas and intimidation to rescind their decision on Eleka and switch to Bisi Kolawole.
A member of the delegation, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that about 45 statutory delegates from Emure Ekiti declared their supports for Eleka without looking back.
Newsflash Nigeria had earlier reported that the former governor, Ayo Fayose, had dropped his deputy, Eleka and endorsed Otunba Bisi Kolawole, the incumbent Chairman of PDP in the state as his preferred candidate for the 2022 governorship election.
The former governor had advised Eleka and other aspirants to support Kolawole.
Fayose said “I painstakingly elect to support Bisi Kolawole because he is eminently qualified, a rallying point and a bridge builder. But it is still an open race for all aspirants.
“In due course, the party will conduct primary for them all.
“However, for me today, it is #BisiKolawole for Governor.
“To my Political ‘Sons’ (Aspirants) and followers of the Osoko Political Assembly, it could have been ‘you’ but the will of God be done. Your time too will surely come.
“As a leader, I reserve the right to a choice and decision to which I have humbly made”, Fayose said.
“Bisi Kolawole never asked me for support to be governor, but I was led to do so considering his pedigree as a unifying force, whose name and antecedent can take the party to victory in 2022.
“I congratulate him and his family,” Fayose said.
Despite all overtures (and pressure) by the camp of the former Governor to force Professor Eleka to step down his ambition for Bisi Kolawole, the university don said his boss had favoured him in the 2018 election and he cannot be grieved by the endorsement of Otunba Bisi Kolawole as the PDP governorship candidate.
Eleka said “I’m not and cannot be grieved by this. H E had also similarly favoured me in the recent past. My coming out to indicate my interest in the 2022 gubernatorial contest is based on Divine leading and not just on personal human ambition.
“I’m constrained to seek God’s face on every subsequent action and until I received anything to the contrary, the aspiration remains intact”
Eleka, who was the candidate of PDP in the 2018 governorship election, has continued to receive supports from stakeholders of the party in Ekiti state ahead of 2022 governorship election despite losing the endorsement of former governor Ayodele Fayose, his former principal.
Since Fayose endorsed Kolawole last month, there have been a series of permutations from other aspirants to up their games in preparation for the primaries that is expected to hold sometime next year.
Despite all overtures (and pressure) by the camp of the former Governor to force Professor Eleka to step down his ambition for Bisi Kolawole, delegates of the party seem to insist on backing the professor of building; the latest of such are statutory delegates from Emure-Ekiti.
At a meeting with Fayose on Sunday in Afao Ekiti, the home town of the former governor, the statutory delegates, numbering over 45, refused to bend to pleas and intimidation to rescind their decision on Eleka and switch to Kolawole.
A member of the delegation, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that about 45 statutory delegates from Emure Ekiti declared their supports for Eleka without looking back.
The eye witness further said that the meeting with Fayose was aimed at getting them canvas for his anointed candidate as usual but they showed him stiff resistance, vowing to remain with Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka.
“Yes, it was a funny moment when we declared their supports. Fayose told us that he was disappointed in us for not supporting his adopted candidate, but we know that we are doing the right thing for PDP and Ekiti state”, the delegate added.
“The funniest part of it is that Fayose refused to mobilize us back to our respective homes in annoyance. Is this what is expected of a leader?”, he continued.
Another source who was part of the meeting informed this medium that the former governor gave few people who chose to support Bisi Kolawole N3,000 each, and told others to find their way back to Emure because he can’t fund his enemies transportation.
