Ekiti PDP Leaders Move Against Fayose, Want Him Sanctioned

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State have recommended sanctions for the immediate past governor of the state for allegedly orchestrating the poor performance of the party in recent elections in the state.

They said Mr Fayose’s alleged domineering posture and high handedness in running the affairs of party without consultation caused the party’s defeat during the July 14, 2018, governorship election and the general elections in 2019.

The call has however met a strong opposition from the state working committee which has distanced itself from the decision of the stakeholders.

The state working committee has insisted that the conclusions and recommendations of the meeting were ineffective since it was not involved.

Mr Fayose had supported his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, to succeed him, against the wishes of some stakeholders of the party in the run up to the governorship election won by the APC’s Kayode Fayemi.

Some members of the PDP had to abandon the party for the APC, thereby weakening the strength of the party in contending for the office.

The stakeholders who met in Ifaki Ekiti on Friday, comprising former members of the house of representatives under the party, serving house of assembly members and party members across the 16 local government of 177 wards in Ekiti State, reached the decision, after considering a report of the State Repositioning Committee of the PDP set up to reappraise the situation of the party and how to move it forward.

The party leaders said that Mr Fayose’s divide and rule tactics to maximise his selfish interest destabilised the state assembly, resulting in the party’s loss of control of the local governments.

They called on the party’s National Working Committee to check and sanction Mr Fayose, for his alleged campaign against the party’s senatorial candidate, Biodun Olujimi, during the last National Assembly election.

The allegations were also contained in the report of the State Repositioning Committee presented to the party’s stakeholders, which was signed by its chairman, Kehinde Odebunmi and secretary, Oladipo Ebenezer.

They blamed the state working committee for allowing itself to be controlled by the former governor to the detriment of the collective interest of members, and urged aggrieved members to return with a promise that they would henceforth be treated fairly.

In the communiqué signed by Jimi Oke, they also accused Mr Fayose of imposing candidates on the party.

“We submit that imposition of candidate in our party, PDP, is inimical to the progress our party,” the communiqué read.

“That this has bred indiscipline among members and has caused low morale among the discipline members.

“That the former governor, Ayo Fayose, campaigned against the PDP and its candidate in the last election and he has not been checked or sanctioned by the party’s NWC.

“That the stakeholders resolved that the status of the party secretariat which is under construction should be disclosed by the SWC of our party to all party members in Ekiti State.

“That the PDP, as all are aware, is the party to beat in Ekiti State but has to be restructured and allow discipline to remain supreme.”

But the state working committee has denounced the meeting, saying the stakeholders’ meeting was not properly constituted.

“There cannot be a stakeholders meeting unless it is called by the state working committee,” the state Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, said.

“The state working committee is the only organ of the party in the state that can call a stakeholders’ meeting, so that decisions reached at the meeting could be implemented.

“We are aware of the meeting, but unless they transmit to us the opinion expressed at the meeting, there is no way it can amount to anything.”

Mr Adebayo disagreed with the decision of the stakeholders to blame Mr Fayose for the woes of the party in the state.

He said the party’s critical stakeholders had been carried along with several meetings held to iron out the issues facing the party, adding that the conclusions of the meeting were wrong.

“It is true that those who met are members of the party, but the basis of the meeting will not make meaning unless the state working committee is involved,” added Mr Adebayo.

He denied that the party was divided given that there is only a single state working committee as the organ of leadership of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, some members of the PDP in Ekiti State have left the party to join the All Progressives Congress.

Olakunle Ojo, a House of Representatives aspirant of the PDP in the last election, on Friday led his supporters to the APC.

He said he took the decision because the PDP had betrayed the people and could no longer be a good vehicle to advance his political ambition and that of his followers.

The politician was received by the APC State Deputy Chairman, Sola Elesin; the APC chairman, Ado Local Government, Mike Akinleye and the chairman of Ward 11, Adegoke on behalf of the State Working Committee.

Speaking on behalf of the SWC, Mr Elesin said the 2022 governorship election would be a walkover for the party when Mr Fayemi completes the implementation of his 4-cardinal agenda.

He said the governor could only achieve this if the ruling party enjoyed stability and unity of purpose among members .

“The leader of the defectors is an illustrious son of Ado Ekiti. His father served Ado Ekiti and Ekiti in general. So, he will add value to us,” he said.

“We don’t recognise factions in APC. We are one and indivisible entity, so don’t create crisis, because we are all equal.

“Don’t discriminate against anybody, the new and old members are one. Our government has begun youth empowerment like; the Ekiti State Peace corps, Social Security Scheme for the elderly, among others, we want to tell you that all the new joiners will enjoy the same privileges like the old members.”