There have been uneasy calm in the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a group said to be loyal to the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose have split and had consequently resulted in verbal attacks over a comment made by Fayose which indicated his plan to disengage his Former Deputy, Professor Olusola Eleka from contesting the 2022 governorship in the state.
Fayose was recently quoted to have said, “There will be no ‘South Agenda’ in Ekiti 2022”, saying the rotational arrangement in the party was not only undemocratic but also unconstitutional.
He maintained that, ” On Ekiti Agenda We Stand’. Any Other Agenda is self serving and negates our collective interest and fair representation. It is sponsored by weak and narrow minded politicians and driven by political extortionist.”
Fayose had, in 2018, in a failed mission, unilaterally fielded Professor Eleka, who is from the South Senatorial District of the state, for the governorship seat in an election which was lost to the Kayode Fayemi of APC.
In what seems like a rude shock and huge disappointment to the Former Deputy Governor Eleka, an ally who crave anonymity expressed displeasure in the Fayose’s decision to strip off Eleka from contesting the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti.
The Eleka ally said, “It was a friend who called my attention to the comment. At first I didn’t believe it because I was still at the Magodo residence of Oga(Fayose) last weekend and there was no insight to such decision. Then I called few associates who latter confirmed it as Osoko’s position. That is obviously unfair.”
Another member of the Fayose group said, “Some of us never trusted Fayose at anytime but for our hope in the likes of Eleka and Barr Anisulowo and few others, we decided to forge ahead. ‘On South Agenda we stand’. But if this singular struggle will set us against Fayose, so be it. We, especially, from the South Senatorial District will stop at nothing to see end to Fayose’s dictatorship in Ekiti PDP.
Stressing that, “it is unbelievably sad that Oga Fayose could shamelessly admitted the fact that he is indeed a ‘Political Extortionist’. He thought we are all myopic. In 2018 he told the people of Ekiti state that is it was fair enough on the account of equity to allow the South Senatorial District have their own share of representation in the governance of Ekiti and upon which we all supported his unilaterally decision of fielding Eleka and as against the population decision of the party leaders. We all supported him, but now that he has successfully extorted the poor Eleka, and has started extorting others like General Adetayo of 100 million naira, Kayode Osho, Deji Ogunsakin and others of their hard earned resources.
Can you imagine that Fayose seized the governorship ticket of the PDP and the general election to extort Eleka and ensure he was financially drained to the extent that he could not to roof the only one Bungalow he managed to build throughout his four year tenure as Deputy Governor”. She added.