Apparently peeved by the selection process in the last Saturday Ward Congress of the main opposition in Ekiti, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, critical stakeholders protest against the one man show of former Governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose.
The Party leaders accused Fayose of sabotaging the efforts of the party by collating Ward Excos at a Private Event Center Owned by him while the real Congress was ongoing in the 177 wards of the state.
Some Party faithfuls joined the Protest on Monday morning calling for the indefinite Suspension of Fayose from the PDP.
The Party leaders accused Fayose of sabotaging the efforts of the party by collating Ward Excos at a Private Event Center Owned by him while the real Congress was ongoing in the 177 wards of the state.
They, therefore, urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to disregard any purported list sent by Ayodele Fayose to the Party Secretariat in Abuja as they declared that there is no Congress held in the state.
Meanwhile, One of the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Kayode Adaramodu, has described the exercise of last Saturday Ward Adhoc Delegates Congress as substantial compliance.
Adaramodu said he don’t have sufficient information or proof that the exercise is “obvious irregularities” in other parts of the State.
In a statement released on Monday, Adaramodu encouraged the party leaders and members to please embrace decorum as we give the party leadership time to review the situation.
He further explained that his country home, Ilawe Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area, where he monitored the exercise, revealed that the exercise scored substantial compliance.
He said “Well, Congresses are a phase in the electoral procedures designed to ultimately culminate in the election of party candidates into elective offices, such as a State Governor. And on Saturday, January 15, we had it in Ekiti PDP.
“Following the aspirants meeting with the Ward Congresses Electoral Committee at the State Capital Ado Ekiti, I was in my Ekiti Southwest Local Government, where I monitored the exercise. There, in my honest assessment, the exercise scored substantial compliance. Although some stakeholders have complained about what they described as “obvious irregularities” in other parts of the State, I don’t have sufficient information or proofs to premise any conclusions on.
“But, I would suggest that the NWC listen to and note such complaints in order to improve and raise the standards of such important exercises.
“Without a doubt, the success of these exercises are fundamental to our ultimate victory.
“We are evolving and we will continue to improve if we are ready to admit our imperfections and collectively commit to working towards more excellent outcomes.
“I encourage our party leaders and members to please embrace decorum as we give the party leadership time to review the situation”.
Moreover, the Bisi Kolawole Campaign Organization has cautioned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ekiti State against the campaign of calumny against the leadership of the party over the last Saturday Ward Adhoc Delegates Congress.
The Campaign Organization said in a statement on Monday, by the Director of Media and Publicity, Lere Olayinka, that rather than going about spreading falsehood and engaging in a conspiracy against the leading aspirant, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, the aspirants should use the appeal committee to ventilate their grievances.
The statement read “We wish to draw the attention of the National Chairman of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to the falsehood being propagated by some aspirants in Ekiti State, who are obviously expressing the usual frustration of impending losers.
“We naturally should not have joined issues with them, because we were not responsible for their decision to stay in Ado Ekiti instead of going to their various wards for the congress, but it has become important that we put the records straight.
“We are sure that the national leadership of our party is conscious of the fact that there is no time there will not be winners and losers in elections and as expected, the losers will always make the loudest noise.
“As expected, they have engaged in falsehood and conspiracy because Otunba Bisi Kolawole is the strongest and most acceptable among the aspirants.
“For instance, we are aware that they are protesting in Ado Ekiti, today, against our party and its leadership.
“It is even more ridiculous and worrisome that they had to release to the public, telephone numbers of some members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), including that of the National Chairman, directing their supporters to be harassing them with calls and SMS.
“To us, it is really not enough to be making noise when most of them chose to sit in Ado Ekiti last Saturday when they ought to have been in their various wards.
“Most importantly, the party has provided an avenue for complaints over congresses to be made.
“Therefore, rather than going about maligning the party and its leadership, those who are aggrieved should approach the Appeal Committee that will be saddled with the responsibility of addressing their complaints.”
