The protests trailing the adoption of the Ekiti State Deputy
Governor, Prof. Olusola Eleka, as the “preferred Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
candidate” for 2018 gubernatorial election believed to have been coordinated by
Governor Ayodele Fayose have continued unabated...
Some stakeholders in the state
chapter of the PDP, led by Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), have faulted
the adoption and have written a protest letter to the national leadership of
the PDP in Abuja. The PAAM is the campaign organization of Prince Dayo Adeyeye
the National Publicity Secretary, NPS, of the PDP National Caretaker
Committee. In the latest protest letter signed by over 180 members of the PDP
drawn across all the Wards in the 16 Local Government of the State, and
forwarded to the office of the Chairman, PDP Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed
Makarfi, PAAM decried the unilateral adoption of Eleka. The group in the
protest letter decried the process leading to the alleged adoption, saying it
was an act of impunity by Governor Fayose. The party members made up of
important dignitaries who had served in different public offices dissociated
themselves from the adoption, and asked the party leadership not to reckon with
it. All party structures in the state, from Ward level were accused of
compromising their position by taking part one way or another in the adoption
saga, which was pointed out as contravening some sections of the PDP
constitution. As a way out of the matter, the national leadership of the PDP
was urged to dissolve the party executives right from Ward level up to the
state executives for betraying the trust reposed in them as custodians of the
party’s ethos.. According to the petitioners, any attempt to sustain the act of
illegality will adversely affect the cohesion being rebuilt in the party and
thereafter, the chances of the party at the general elections. The Governor was
also condemned by the PAAM members who accused him of going outside his mandate
and expected leadership role which placed on him, the burden of an unbiased
leader. Explaning the circumstances under which the alleged adoption was
achieved, the PAAM stated that there was no meeting called with stakeholders,
but that a supposed training programme for political office holders was
hijacked by the governor and literally forced some persons to sign the
contentious communique that was used in advertising the alleged adoption of
Eleka. The group, in its protest letter said: “We are aware that Mr. Ayo Fayose
who incidentally doubles as the Governor of Ekiti-State and the Chairman of the
PDP Governors Forum who supposed to be working in tandem with ethos and
principles enunciated by the party constitution has fragrantly violated the
said constitution with the reckless act of impunity orchestrated by himself in
Ekiti-State government house on September 6th 2017 whereby he hoodwinked some
officers of our party into the adoption of his Deputy Prof. Olusola Eleka as
the sole candidate for 2018 Gubernatorial election which is yet to be declared
open by our party National Leadership as provided for in our constitution
particularly at Section 50 (1) (2) & (2b) and Electoral Act 2010. “It
should be noted Sir, that the meeting which resulted to the purported adoption
was meant for a training programme for political office holders and party
leaders as announced by the Governor in the media but later turned to an
adoption meeting for his own sole candidate. “We would not have been perturbed
but for responsible position been held by the set of people in our party in the
state. “We are not unaware of their fundamental right to support any aspirant,
but it must be done in a manner that will preserve the rights of other
aspirants to have a level plain ground in the contest. “It is most unbecoming
to compel and hoodwink party officers to sign a prepaid document that was meant
to adopt a particular aspirant as a sole candidate for an election, the primary
of which may not be until very late in the first quarter of 2018.” Some of
those who signed the petition are .Rt Hon Dele Olugbemi, (former Speaker Ekiti
House of Assembly); Bar Afolabi Ojuawo, former Secretary to the State
Government (SSG), Chief Mosu Aguda, (former Senatorial District Chairman); Hon
B. J. Abegunde (former Member House of Representatives); Bar Longe Sule (former
House of Assembly Majority Leader) Hon Segun Ola ( Former Member Ekiti State
House of Assembly); Chief Femi Balogun (former Chairman Teaching Service
Commission and Afenifere Leader); Hon Sola Oke (former Member, Ekiti State
House of Assembly); Hon. Deji Adesua, former Commissioner; and Prince Ade
Alonge, Party Leader and Afenifere chieftain. An impeccable source at the
national secretariat of the PDP confirmed to Daily Times that Makarfi has
listed the petition among issues to be discussed at the next NWC meeting on
Wednesday.
The protests trailing
the adoption of the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Olusola Eleka, as
the “preferred Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate” for 2018
gubernatorial election believed to have been coordinated by Governor
Ayodele Fayose have continued unabated.
Some stakeholders in the state chapter of the PDP, led by Prince Adedayo
Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), have faulted the adoption and have written a
protest letter to the national leadership of the PDP in Abuja.
The PAAM is the campaign organization of Prince Dayo Adeyeye the
National Publicity Secretary, NPS, of the PDP National Caretaker
Committee.
In the latest protest letter signed by over 180 members of the PDP drawn
across all the Wards in the 16 Local Government of the State, and
forwarded to the office of the Chairman, PDP Caretaker Committee,
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, PAAM decried the unilateral adoption of Eleka.
The group in the protest letter decried the process leading to the
alleged adoption, saying it was an act of impunity by Governor Fayose.
The party members made up of important dignitaries who had served in
different public offices dissociated themselves from the adoption, and
asked the party leadership not to reckon with it.
All party structures in the state, from Ward level were accused of
compromising their position by taking part one way or another in the
adoption saga, which was pointed out as contravening some sections of
the PDP constitution.
As a way out of the matter, the national leadership of the PDP was urged
to dissolve the party executives right from Ward level up to the state
executives for betraying the trust reposed in them as custodians of the
party’s ethos..
According to the petitioners, any attempt to sustain the act of
illegality will adversely affect the cohesion being rebuilt in the party
and thereafter, the chances of the party at the general elections.
The Governor was also condemned by the PAAM members who accused him of
going outside his mandate and expected leadership role which placed on
him, the burden of an unbiased leader.
Explaning the circumstances under which the alleged adoption was
achieved, the PAAM stated that there was no meeting called with
stakeholders, but that a supposed training programme for political
office holders was hijacked by the governor and literally forced some
persons to sign the contentious communique that was used in advertising
the alleged adoption of Eleka.
The group, in its protest letter said: “We are aware that Mr. Ayo Fayose
who incidentally doubles as the Governor of Ekiti-State and the
Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum who supposed to be working in tandem
with ethos and principles enunciated by the party constitution has
fragrantly violated the said constitution with the reckless act of
impunity orchestrated by himself in Ekiti-State government house on
September 6th 2017 whereby he hoodwinked some officers of our party into
the adoption of his Deputy Prof. Olusola Eleka as the sole candidate
for 2018 Gubernatorial election which is yet to be declared open by our
party National Leadership as provided for in our constitution
particularly at Section 50 (1) (2) & (2b) and Electoral Act 2010.
“It should be noted Sir, that the meeting which resulted to the
purported adoption was meant for a training programme for political
office holders and party leaders as announced by the Governor in the
media but later turned to an adoption meeting for his own sole
candidate.
“We would not have been perturbed but for responsible position been held
by the set of people in our party in the state.
“We are not unaware of their fundamental right to support any aspirant,
but it must be done in a manner that will preserve the rights of other
aspirants to have a level plain ground in the contest.
“It is most unbecoming to compel and hoodwink party officers to sign a
prepaid document that was meant to adopt a particular aspirant as a sole
candidate for an election, the primary of which may not be until very
late in the first quarter of 2018.”
Some of those who signed the petition are .Rt Hon Dele Olugbemi, (former
Speaker Ekiti House of Assembly); Bar Afolabi Ojuawo, former Secretary
to the State Government (SSG), Chief Mosu Aguda, (former Senatorial
District Chairman); Hon B. J. Abegunde (former Member House of
Representatives); Bar Longe Sule (former House of Assembly Majority
Leader) Hon Segun Ola ( Former Member Ekiti State House of Assembly);
Chief Femi Balogun (former Chairman Teaching Service Commission and
Afenifere Leader); Hon Sola Oke (former Member, Ekiti State House of
Assembly); Hon. Deji Adesua, former Commissioner; and Prince Ade Alonge,
Party Leader and Afenifere chieftain.
An impeccable source at the national secretariat of the PDP confirmed to
Daily Times that Makarfi has listed the petition among issues to be
discussed at the next NWC meeting on Wednesday.
Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/politics/ekiti-guber-group-petitions-makarfi-adoption-eleka/
Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/politics/ekiti-guber-group-petitions-makarfi-adoption-eleka/
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