Barely less than two months to the Ekiti State governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), about five aspirants of the party have met in a closed-door meeting.
According to the report gathered by Newsflash Nigeria, the five aspirants met somewhere in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
The five aspirants who attended the meeting include the current Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Biodun Olujimi, former deputy governor of the state, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, Immediate Past National Treasure of the party, Wale Aribisala; Former GMD bank, Kayode Adaramodu and a Lagos-based businessman and senatorial aspirant of the party in 2014, Lateef Ajijola.
The PDP Southwest Zonal Executive members, representing Ekiti State have also attended the meeting.
None of the aspirants disclosed the meeting to newsmen but the party’s Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati who attended the meeting said the party priority is to unite and provide quality leadership to the people before the 2022 governorship primary.
He said “Even as the consultation continues, we believe this will fast track a hitch-free process of elections. We have less than two months to the January 2022 Governorship primary.
“Our priority as one united party is simply to serve and provide quality leadership to the people and we shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that our best foot is put forward.”
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Recall that the national body of the party had fixed January 28, 2022, for the Ekiti governorship primary.
Already, the national leadership of the PDP had commenced the process leading to the primaries with the completion of sales of nomination and expression of interest forms and recently conducted a screening for the 17 aspirants. Even though the report of the screening committee headed by the former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi has not been made public but Newsflash Nigeria gathered that some aspirants mostly women were disqualified from participating in the primaries.
Those women who participated in the governorship screening include, Senator Olujimi, Mrs Olumide Ojo Olukemi Olubunmi (Ido/Osi), Mrs Arogundade Olutoyin (Ekiti East) Princess Adekemi Adewunmi (Efon). Others are Mrs Cecillia Ebiesuwa (Emure council), Mrs Adewumi Adesoye (Ado), Mrs Titilayo Owolabi Akerele (Ikole), Mrs Modupe Asaolu (Ekiti south-west) and Mrs Deborah Alo (Ido/Osi).
In the men category were former governor Segun Oni; former deputy governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka; former PDP State chairman and Fayose’s backed aspirant, Bisi Kolawole; former banker, Kayode Adaramodu; former National Assembly member, Wale Aribisala; former senatorial aspirant, Lateef Ajijola and the 2018 PDP deputy governorship candidate, Deji Ogunsakin.
