I Will Destroy PDP If …” – Former Governor Ayo Fayose

By Ayodele Oni

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose  hinted on Tuesday of his possibility of joining the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) before next year’s Governorship election in the state.

The election has been fixed for July next year by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) as incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi’s tenure will terminate in October of same year.

Mr Fayose, while addressing his supporters at his country home, Afao Ekiti said in case his annoited candidate for the election loses the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would have no option than to decamp to APC.

Describing the PDP in Ekiti as his major asset, he maintained that he would not allow anyone to destroy it.

Mr Fayose vowed that he would ensure his preferred candidate, Bisi Kolawole, currently state chairman of PDP, emerges as the next governorship candidate of the party in the State.

The former Governor stated that should Kolawole loses at primaries, he would join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Another former governor of the State, Chief Segun Oni is in the race for the governorship ticket of the party.

Oni had decamped from the APC, in which he was a National officer to return to the PDP in order to be able to contest next year’s governorship election.

Fayose had however presented Kolawole to his supporters across the 177 political wards in the state in preparation for his victory in the party’s primary.

With the primary billed to come up early next year, the former governor encouraged his followers to work closely with the various delegates to ensure victory for Kolawole and see that those that won’t listen to him do not win the election.

“My people, do not be afraid of the primary election ahead, you will all recall I bought the forms for the majority of the party’s executives from the ward level to the state level.

“I know some of them have already betrayed me, but I have no fear about that. Don’t forget I am Peter the rock, my anointed candidate Bisi Kolawole will do all his best to win and if the worst happens, I will pack my load and work with Governor Fayemi.

“I will better destroy the party than allow those who won’t listen to me to win the main election.

“I will advise you all to go home and work with delegates, don’t allow them to hijack this my greatest asset which is the Ekiti PDP.”

At the end of his second term of office, Fayose had single handedly picked his deputy then, Prof Olusola Eleka, as his successor.

With threat and intimidation, as well as state apparatus, Prof Eleka won the PDP primary and slugged it out with incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi at the election but lost to him.

Mr Fayose and his erstwhile deputy, Prof Eleka and annoited candidate have fallen apart.

Prof Eleka is one of the aspirants jostling for the PDP Governorship ticket against the wish of his former godfather.