Kehinde Adewole, Ado Ekiti
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders and stakeholders in Ekiti State, at the weekend, endorsed former governor Ayo Fayose’s anointed candidate, Bisi Kolawole, for the forthcoming party’s congress.
Kolawole, who was commissioner for Environment during Fayose’s administration, is vying for the party’s chairmanship.
The elders announced him as their preferred candidate to replace Gboyega Oguntuase at the party’s congress slated for April 2, 2020.
Former publicity secretary of the party, Tope Aluko, who is also contesting, said he would have to be convinced beyond reasonable doubts on the choice of a consensus candidate before he surrenders.
Besides, the elders also endorsed the candidature of Joseph Omolase as the preferred secretary.
The State Working Committee (SWC) had earlier dissociated itself from a move by the elders and stakeholders, allegedly led by the former governor, to impose a consensus candidate ahead of the primary.
However, Idowu Odeyemi from the party’s South West caucus, at the weekend, said the decision to endorse Kolawole was taken after consultation across the length and breath of the state.
Odeyemi said: “We have to say, however, that this endorsement by the elders does not foreclosed the right to participate, which means the race is still open.
“We have only express our right to endorse our preferred candidate, which mean other group can also endorse their own as well.
“We will meet them at the congress. We are not imposing candidate, we have only express our right. The party is one and after the congress we shall remain one.”
In his reaction while fielding questions from newsmen, Fayose said he openly supported Kolawole who has been endorsed by the elders to move the party forward.
“We are not doing this to score any point, we are only looking for somebody who can manage our party vis-a-vis the fact that we don’t have a sitting governor.
“By the grace of God, I am the only person that has served as governor that is still in this party. I am the only two-term governor still in this party. It would amount to evil for any one to wish me away.
“You must equally remember that politics is about interest. Parts of the interest embedded in this congress is the governorship contest that is ahead. So, I won’t blame anybody for doing what they did. But don’t forget, I told them when Adeyeye was contesting that it would end in the midst of nowhere and it happened like that.
“Adeyeye ended up in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ended up out of APC. Some of them on the other side that are leading rebellion will go the same round. I have been the pillar and a major stakeholder in this party. I am not saying I have the whole say, but the fact remains that I have given my best to this party.
“I want to assure you I am not contesting. I don’t want to be governor, even if I want to be governor, I am no longer eligible. So, I want us to do this contest without rancour, but the moment it is about rebellion, if you don’t have the numerical strength, you will lose.
“We are going to engage everybody in free and fair contest. We are not sharing any position, we want a contest and which ever way it goes, we will accept it,” he said.
On the review of the judgments of Supreme Court being sought by political parties, Fayose described the development as unfortunate, saying it would become messy if the apex court reversed itself.
“It is unfortunate either way, for those of us who are not in judiciary and those of them in the judiciary. The Nigerian situation is a reflection of its state of decay. For me, it is unfortunate we have find ourselves in this situation.
“Above all, the judiciary seen as the hope of common man must not allow itself to be ridicule before the whole world. We are relying on them to assist the country. You can see we have lost every goodwill in our security, our economy, because every man is doing his own thing.”
