THE national publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, has described the recent endorsement of the deputy governor of Ekiti State, Professor Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola, as “part of a plot to sell the party to the opposition.”
Adeyeye said this while addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, adding that the endorsement will not stand.
The former Minister of State for Works described the alleged “imposition” as “a nullity,” saying it was against the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
But Governor Fayose said he “can’t be threatened or blackmailed by anybody over the recent adoption of his deputy, Prof Olusola by stakeholders in the PDP as the preferred candidate in the 2018 governorship election in the state.”
Governor Fayose also declared that he had “no apology to offer to anybody or group over the matter since he has not done anything that has breached any rule or law of the party or the country.”
Adeyeye, who had earlier addressed his supporters, accused Governor Fayose of allegedly working with external forces to ruin the PDP.
He said: “What the governor did was a flagrant breach of the constitution and the Electoral Act and it can’t stand. Fayose is a governor and whoever occupies such a big position must learn how to protect the law. He should not take any action that will make him irresponsible.
“PDP in Ekiti is in a delicate position. We have no federal might behind us. We are not in control of the Army, police and others. Again, we are no longer enjoying the popularity with which we came into office in 2014. If you do opinion poll today, that does not favour us because of the actions and inactions of this government.
“However, we have it on good authority hat someone is trying sell the party to the opposition and this we are going to resist. In 2014, I would have won the 70 per cent of the primary if not for the abracadabra they did.
“So, I have called my supporters and reassured them that primary will be conducted and I will emerge because I have the people behind me,” Adeyeye boasted.
Fayose, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said: “To start with, as a party member and a citizen of Nigeria, I reserve the right to support any candidate for any elective post and even vote same in an election. Those who are crying over spilt milk should put their enemies in the position of a governor when they have such opportunity.
“I have no apology for my action because I have only exercised my rights and I have not breached any rule or law of the party or that of the country. If the petitioners are the major stakeholders and we are the minority, time will tell. However, we reiterate that anyone who feels disappointed by the action should wait for the party’s primary because it is their rights.
” Above all, since they have written to Senator Ahmed Makarfi, they should equally copy Sheriff. All the complainants got to their current positions by God’s grace and my humble self that God used for them.
“If they complain about of imposition and endorsement, let them face the electorate too and adopt their own standard that is different from the one we used. At least, am the man to be succeeded and I am entitled to support who I like.
“Let them know that I am not the type to be threatened. If anybody has anything against me, let them go to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” he said.
Governor Fayose wondered why some people would be having needless headache over a matter that does not preclude them from exercising their own rights.
Stakeholders of the PDP in the state, including the party’s chairman, Gboyega Oguntuwase; all its chairmen in the 16 local government areas of the state, it’s state working committee members, the chairmen of the 16 local government councils among others endorsed Professor Olusola as their preferred aspirant/candidate for the 2018 election on September 6, 2017.
