…As Fayose says he is confident deputy would get PDP’s ticket

“APC already taking steps towards restructuring’ Oni assures Yoruba group, lauds their Efforts on restructuring”

From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti

A former Governor of Ekiti State and Vice-Chairman, Southern Nigeria, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Segun Oni, has said that both Dayo Adeyeye, Publicity Secretary of the Ahmed Markafi-led National Working Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and Sen. Biodun Olujimi, Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Senate, who are gubernatorial aspirants on PDP’s platform in Ekiti are welcome to the APC to pursue their governorship ambition.

This was also as Governor Ayodele Fayose boasted that he was confident that his anointed candidate and deputy governor of Ekiti State, Olusola Kolapo would get the PDP’s ticket for the forthcoming 2018 governorship poll in the state.

Recall that Adeyeye and Olujimi, who are both political son and daughter of Fayose respectively, have disagreed with the governor  for allegedly turning his back on their ambition to be governor of the state, resulting into the former resigning his appointment as Pro-Vice chancellor and council chairman of Ekiti State University on Wednesday.

Oni who yesterday at a press briefing with reporters in Ifaki-Ekiti, reacted to a question on whether both Olujimi and Adeyeye would be accepted should they opt for defection to APC, said: “Let me say this, whoever among the aggrieved PDP members who sees APC as a better alternative can join us. We want our ranks to swell and we are not going to discriminate against them.

“We can even  give them waiver to be able to participate in our primary as aspirants, but this will be done in line with our constitution”.

Meanwhile, governor Fayose, at a church Thanksgiving service organised to celebrate his deputy’s choice inside the governor’s office in Ado-Ekiti, State capital yesterday, said that his choice of Olusola is not only the best for Ekiti but a divine choice.

Governor Fayose said that people who can discern spiritual things would see that the emergence of Olusola-Eleka was divine and no project embarked upon by God fails.

“In the first instance, the emergence of Olusola-Eleka as my deputy was divine. He never lobbied to be one. He was just a lecturer in the university enjoying what he was doing. I proposed to have his father that I knew to be a politician as my deputy, but he emerged in a divine manner.

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” We all say we are God’s people and I have earlier said I was relying on God to choose a successor for me and He has done that. I know it is a divine project and those who are doubting should wait as see in the end what it is going to be. Power comes from God and He gives willingly.

“Some say I am promoting my deputy, am not, but I am only doing the will of God. When we do His will there is no need to fear. We are going to that promised land. This is God’s project and it won’t fail,” he said.

On the conspiracy by some aspirants against Fayose and his deputy, the governor said such would fail woefully.

Speaking further on the striking labour unions, Oni appealed to them to sheath their swords, saying:” the striking unionist must find a compromising way to resolve the matter. You don’t become a good unionists when you take a step without looking for compromising windows of opportunity to resolve the matter. For the striking doctors, they don’t know who would fall victim of their not resuming to work, it may be their relatives or so. So, they should sheath their swords.”

Oni also lauded the efforts of the Yoruba group on restructuring and assured that the APC was already taking concrete and sensitive steps towards that direction. He also called for concerted efforts from other sections of the country towards realising the restructuring dream.

Fayose urged aspirants still feeling aggrieved to calm down, saying there was no way all of them would be given a ticket meant for only one person.

“It is not every man that talks to a lady or wants to befriend a lady that the lady can marry or will eventually marry. We are one big family and others can serve in other capacities as well,” he said.

He, however, urged Olusola-Eleka to be prayerful and be wary of sycophants.

Speaking after the service, Olusola-Eleka appealed for cooperation and support from party members and leaders.

He said he was ready to work with everybody and reiterated his total support and loyalty to the government of the state.

He described Fayose as a worthy leader who means well for the people of the state.