Hundreds of the Peoples Democratic Party chieftains and loyalists of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, have endorsed the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Ekiti South, Yemi Adaramodu, for the 2023 National Assembly election.
The adoption was a fallout of the crack in the PDP, owing to the crisis between Fayose and National Assembly member, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who is the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
The PDP members from Ise/Orun and Emure local government areas of the state announced the decision to support the APC candidate for the position during a meeting at Ise Ekiti on Thursday.
They said it was time Nigerians began to vote for performing individuals regardless of party affiliations.
PDP Ekiti State Auditor, Arike Akintade, and State Assistant Youth Leader, Usman Afolabi, said their action was based on collective conviction about Adaramodu’s competence, in addition to the fact that anybody who disrespected Fayose, who is the PDP leader in the state, should stand no elective stance.
Afolabi said, “As a mark of unflinching loyalty, we endorse the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the two PDP House of Representatives candidates in our federal constituency, Mr Akomolafe Henrich and Mrs Jennifer Emiola.
“We would only vote for PDP candidates, who demonstrated loyalty to the party during the last governorship election in Ekiti,” he said.
Also, former Chairman, Ise-Orun Council, Ropo Kolawole, said, “We are not ready to vote for someone who didn’t do anything tangible to better the lots of the constituents after eight years at the Senate, so our votes will go to Hon. Adaramodu, who is present in the House of Representatives at this time.
“We are just getting it right in our politics. Any political office holder not doing well must be voted out.
“Supporting APC’s Adaramodu is not anti-party activity on our part, but it is a vote of confidence in his leadership and performance.”
PDP ward chairmen in Ise/Orun and Emure local governments areas, Gbenga Ojuawo and Banji Adeleke respectively, who spoke on behalf of ward chairmen, said that the meeting was to notify party leaders and members of their decision to vote for Adaramodu in the next election.
Ojuawo and Adeleke said they could no longer vote for somebody who had no respect for them or the party leader, adding that they had resolved to support Adaramodu, who they believed would deliver dividends of democracy to the constituency.
