Ekiti PDP Gets Two Chairmen As War Between Fayose, Olujimi Intensifies

By Ayodele Oni

Another chairman has emerged for the Embattled People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Ekiti state few hours after Alaba Agboola was appointed.

The development appears to be the latest in the struggle for the soul of the party by two factions led by Senator Biodun Olujimi and former Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Agboola, believed to be from the faction controlled by Olujimi had earlier been installed as chairman today.

 Early Monday, the party had announced his  appointment as the substantive Chairman.

Appointment of Engr Agboola as the substantive State Chairman, was said to be among the resolutions at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

The Deputy Chairman, Lanre Omolase, who has been acting as Chairman and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun, announced the appointment in a statement.

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.’

However, in a counter statement later, the State Executive Committee, (SEC) of the Ekiti State Chapter of Peoples’ Democratic Party said it has ratified the appointment of the former Chairman, Ado Local Government and former 2018 Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party, Deji Ogunsakin as the new State Chairman of PDP. 

The State Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, in a statement made available to journalists after the meeting said; “the appointment is in line with section 47(6) of the party constitution which states that, ‘where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committeee 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.’

 Ogunsakin is from the same Central Senatorial District as the former Chairman, Bisi Kolawole who resigned from the position on Sept 23, 2021.

The ratification by SEC was Sequel to the nomination by 10 out of 12 members of SEC from the Central Senatorial District.

With the emergence of two chairmen, there are indications that the crisis within the party is not likely to abate soon.