Ekiti PDP Primary: Aspirants Fault Process Of Electing Delegates

By Ayodele Oni

Former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose, has been fingered in some, alleged, malpractices which trailed last Saturday’s Ward Congresses of the People’s Democratic Party in the State.

The Congress was held to elect three Ad hoc delegates in the 177 wards who will be part of the Electoral College where the Governorship candidate will be elected on January 26.

Some Governorship aspirants, except the annoited aspirant of the former Governor, Mr Bisi Kolawole, rejected the outcome of the Ward Congress.

Other aspirants and leaders of the PDP in the State, like former Governor Segun Oni, the Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Abiodun Olujimi, former Deputy Governor, Kolapo Eleka, Mr Lateef Ajijola and Mr Wale Aribisala have rejected the Ward Congress conducted  by the National Working Committee in the State.

They accused the Committee led by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, of allegedly working with the former Governor to hijack the process.

They stormed the premises of a hotel located at GRA in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, where the committee members from Abuja were lodged to raise observations about how the process was allegedly teleguided by the former Governor.

This led to the deployment of Anti-riot Policemen to the GRA section of Ado Ekiti, while roads to the area were cordoned off by combined forces of the Police, Department of State Services and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Former Governor Oni, flanked by other Governorship aspirants, described the exercise as worrisome, saying he never expected such an act to be happening in the PDP.

“What you have seen today is laughable. And this is the standard we still are as a country. It is very unfortunate.

“There is nothing we can do other than to complain formally. We went upstairs and also told the Acting Chairman of the Ward Congress Panel.

“I believe we cannot have democracy by hijack. If anybody is a muscle man, he should apply the muscle to win people for the party.

“We would believe the party will take a look at what has happened. At least all spoke on our honour and if they want us to say more they can contact us.

“Each of us is a known face to even the people in Abuja. This is very unfortunate but we hope the party will find a way out of it.

“Before we were getting it right. We were talking across all divides and we believe we would end up together but what has happened today has shown that there is a big problem.

“Let me sound it that we politicians are testing the will of the people too much. If anybody is a muscle man who can wrestle the process out of the grip of the people, let him wait for them.

“And I believe they will wait for him at an appropriate corner. We must all join hands to rescue this country from this type of politics.

Also contributing, Senator Biodun Olujimi regretted that the sordid scenario was a repeat of what transpired during the Congress of the in 2021.

“This is what we have been fighting about that should not happen in PDP. Everything has been compromised.

“The results have been hijacked by compromise from the Committee sent from Abuja. We are rejecting the entire process.”

The Secretary of the NWC Congress Committee, Kola Ologbondiyan, flayed the allegations, saying the committee didn’t bend the rules to favour any of the factions.

According to him, the accreditation and distribution of materials were done in the presence of all the aspirants.

“What we have done is in line with the directive we have been given from Abuja. We did distribution in the presence of the aspirants.

“The aspirants would have to wait for the appeal committee if they have issues with the conduct of the congress. Our men are on the field, so we will act on all they give to us.

“PDP is a democratic party and if they have issues, we have an internal mechanism to settle all our differences.

“It is not our responsibility to go and monitor congress. The aspirants brought two agents each to supervise the accreditation and distribution processes.

“They were part of the meeting where accreditation was done. As we speak no report has been given to us. PDP is a family and we have the mechanism to settle our differences.”