Less than 48 hours after saying he was
waiting on God for the choice of his successor, Ekiti State Governor Ayo
Fayose may have settled for his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as his
successor...
Stakeholders in the state’s Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), including party leaders, political office
holders and supporters of Fayose, yesterday adopted Olusola as “the sole
candidate” for the 2018 governorship poll.
At a meeting at the Government House in
Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the governor’s loyalists said adopting
Olusola as the “PDP sole candidate” did not preclude other aspirants
from competing for the party’s ticket at the primary.
Olusola, who was recently appointed
Professor of Building Technology by Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) at
Ile-Ife in Osun State, hails from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti South.
His adoption may have ended the
governorship ambition of Senate Deputy Minority Whip Abiodun Olujimi;
PDP’s national spokesman Dayo Adeyeye; former Deputy Governor Sikiru
Lawal; former High Commissioner in Canada Dare Bejide and former
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Owoseni Ajayi.
Olujimi and Adeyeye have resisted Fayose’s insistence that they drop their ambition.
Party sources said Fayose anointed
Olusola after receiving a field report that his preferred candidate and
former Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kayode Oso, “may not be sellable” to
the electorate.
One of the sources said the governor
briefed prominent indigenes of Ado-Ekiti, Oso’s hometown, including a
prominent lawyer and a traditional ruler, at a meeting Tuesday night.
The source added that Fayose called a stakeholders’ meeting where he announced his decision to endorse Olusola.
The meeting was said to have been
attended by 177 councillors, 177 ward chairmen, 16 local government
party chairmen, 16 local council chairmen, chairmen and members of
boards and corporations.
Others at the meeting include State
Executive Council (Exco) members, House of Assembly members, serving and
former members of PDP State Working Committee (SWC) and the ex-deputy
governor.
A communique issued at the end of the
meeting reads: “After due consultation, without prejudice to provisions
of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), we formally endorse Prof Kolapo
Olusola (the current deputy governor), from Ekiti South Senatorial
District, as our preferred aspirant/candidate.”
Those who signed the communique are:
Anifowose Mustapha (for councillors), Alhaji Amuda Sunmonu (for ward
chairmen), Femi Bamisile (for local government party chairmen), Dapo
Olagunju (for local government chairmen, ALGON) and Senator Bode Ola
(for chairmen of boards and corporations).
Others are: Dr Modupe Alade, the
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, (for State Executive Council,
Exco), Kolawole Oluwawole, House of Assembly Speaker and PDP’s State
Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase.
After Olusola’s adoption, Oguntuase said
the party’s organs would abide by the decision of the stakeholders in
the interest of the party and people of Ekiti State.
The party chairman noted that the
adoption will not preclude any member of the party interested in the
governorship from contesting.
He pledged that an open and transparent
primary will be held in accordance with party rules. Chairman, Forum of
Ward Chairmen, Alhaji Amuda Sunmonu, hailed the decision, adding:
“Wherever Governor Fayose goes, we will follow him.”
Mustapha said the 177 councillors supported the governor and “the decision of the party stakeholders remained binding on us”.
Dr Alade described Olusola as “a competent and loyal member of the Fayose political family”.
She added that his adoption was a reward for loyalty, dedication and commitment.
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