Ekiti PDP: Fayose Loses To Olujimi As Her Ally Becomes Chairman

By Ayodele Oni

Still counting loses in the last Governorship election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has appointed Alaba Agboola, as the Chairman of the party in a bid to rebuild the party.

The PDP recorded a bad showing by coming a distant third during the election won by the All Progressives Congress,. APC.

The outcome of the election has kept watchers of the state wondering on the future of the party in the state, under former Governor Ayodele Fayose who until now had a strong grip on the party.

By choosing Agboola as the new chairman, a strong signal has been sent to the former governor, who’s believed to be nursing a defection to another party,  that he’s no longer in control, analysts say.

Agboola, an ally of Senator Boidun Olujimi from Ijero Ekiti, replaces the party’s governorship candidate in the last election, Bisi Kolawole, who resigned as the State Chairman to contest the governorship.

His appointment was among the resolutions reached at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Deputy Chairman, Lanre Omolase, who has been acting as Chairman and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun.

The statement reads;  “The Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, was held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of the Chairman (Acting) – Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022.

“The quorum at attendance being over and above one-third of the total membership of the Exco, deliberated on the need to appoint a substantive Chairman for our Party, in accordance with the Party’s Constitution.

“Article 47(6) of the Constitution of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party, provides that: ‘Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.’

“Accordingly and in view of the resignation of our erstwhile Party Chairman Hon Bisi Kolawole, who became our party flagbearer at the recent Ekiti State Governorship Election, the State executive committee members present deliberated on an appropriate and capable stalwart from the same zone as our erstwhile Chairman and unanimously appointed Hon. Alaba Agboola as substantive Chairman.

“He is expected to serve out the remainder of the tenure of our said erstwhile Chairman.

“It was also resolved that Hon. Lanre Omolase, the Chairman (Acting), should revert to his elected post as the Deputy Chairman of our party, PDP, Ekiti State.

“National officials of our great party, corporate organizations, as well as our teeming party members and the general public be immediately notified of the appointment of our new substantive Party Chairman.”

Recall that Agboola, was the Chairman of the Repositioning Group, a group in the Ekiti State PDP led by Senator Olujimi.

Early Monday morning, stern looking policemen took positions at the party secretariat along Ikere road, to forestall any breakdown of law and order while the meeting lasted.

PDP in Ekiti state has been factionalized between Fayose and Senator Olujinmi.