The political camp of former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Olusola Eleka, has rejected the endorsement of Chief Bisi Kolawole as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate by former governor, Ayodele Fayose.

According to the Eleka’s camp, the former governor took a unilateral decision and didn’t carry all leaders and stakeholders along in arriving at the choice.

A political aide to Eleka, Mr. Adebisi Adeola, said the former deputy governor would proceed with his ambition despite Kolawole’s adoption by his former boss, saying “Eleka won’t drop out of the race and would be ready to face Kolawole at the PDP governorship primary next year.”

Adeola, who spoke while featuring on BOTTOM LINE, a current affairs programme on New Cruse 92.7 FM, Ikere and monitored by DAILY POST on Monday, said failure to allow party members to freely choose a candidate of their choice has plunged the party into an avoidable crisis and put the party at a disadvantage in its bid to regain power.

He said the PDP must not go to the next year’s governorship poll with a divided house as it does not presently enjoy the status of a ruling party both at the state level and at the federal level expressing fear that Kolawole’s adoption could trigger mass exodus to other parties as it happened in 2018.

The programme also featured former Federal Commissioner in the National Population Commission (NPC) and ex-governorship aspirant, Hon. Ropo Ogunbolude and Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka.

Fayose and members of his political group, Osoko People’s Assembly (OPA) at a meeting held at the former governor’s residence in Afao Ekiti at the weekend adopted Kolawole as the preferred governorship candidate, a development being kicked against by party members not comfortable with the decision.

Speaking on the radio programme, Adeola revealed that Fayose had earlier promised members of OPA including Eleka that the final decision on who to support for the party’s governorship ticket would be taken by all stakeholders in June after all the aspirants might have been assessed based on agreed criteria.

Adeola also maintained that Kolawole, whom he claimed did not show interest in running for governor, would now find it difficult to reconcile warring members in the divided party as the state chairman after being drafted into the race by Fayose.

He said: “Former Governor Fayose promised to give all aspirants leverage to contest for the party ticket and he said all OPA members will converge in June to decide but we are shocked that the same person has now decided solely and hurriedly to endorse someone.

“It came to us as a shock that the chairman (Kolawole) that is supposed to reconcile the warring factions and be an arbiter is now being promoted as a candidate. Who is going to be a bridge between the two factions?

“In 2018, we lost the election by 19,000 votes and this was caused in part by those who left to join other parties. We don’t want to lose members again anymore. If the likes of (Prince Dayo) Adeyeye worked with us, we would have been in power now. We are not in power at the state and at the federal.

“Everything is not right in Ekiti PDP, we are not saying he (Fayose) cannot adopt but you have to be transparent and things should be rightly done. Whatever is happening in PDP today should involve all leaders in Ekiti and Southwest PDP.”

On the fate of Eleka’s ambition, he said: “The endorsement (of Kolawole) cannot stand because the party leaders were not consulted. It was unilaterally done, it cannot stand. Prof Olusola Eleka will contest the primary election and by the grace of God, he will win the primary.”

Olayinka, who justified the action of Fayose and his loyalists in adopting Kolawole said endorsement and adoption of preferred candidates by individuals and groups are normal in politics noting that supporters of former Governor Segun Oni and Senator Biodun Olujimi had at one time or the other received endorsement from their supporters.

He identified five aspirants had paid N2 million each into the account of OPA to include Hon. Deji Ogunsakin, Hon. Ayo Oladimeji, Hon. Kayode Oso, Hon. Wale Aribisala and Hon. Segun Adekola claiming that Oso, Ogunsakin, Adekola and Oladimeji has pledged to support Kolawole.

Olayinka said: “Fayose did not singlehandedly endorse Kolawole, he was endorsed by all those who believe in the leadership of Fayose; we consulted him (Fayose) and he agreed with us.

“The stakeholders met on Friday that this is the decision and this is where we are going. The fact that he (Fayose) has pitched his tent with somebody did not preclude others from contesting or the party from conducting free and fair primary.

“Fayose did not personally collect the money (N2 million each) from anybody. We have OPA chaired by Chief Dipo Anisulowo, we set conditions that for you to be recognised as an aspirant, you must signify your intention, you must write a letter.”

On why Fayose no longer supports Eleka, Olayinka said: “The political permutation in 2018 is different from now; his loyalty to our cause is being tested now.”

Making his own contribution, Ogunbolude expressed concern that other aspirants in the party would not trust Fayose again for publicly identifying with Kolawole saying the development would cause division in the party.

Apparently reacting to the fact that Kolawole comes from Ekiti Central senatorial district which had produced governor three times, Ogunbolude urged PDP aspirants from Ekiti South which had not produced governor to continue to pursue their ambition.

He said: “It affects morality on the part of the leader, Fayose. He has the right to take the decision to support any aspirant but he is the head of the house, he has many children but for siding with a person, he is telling other children to go to hell.

“Others will not look up to Fayose again now that he has taken a position. This will cause further division in the party. If he had allowed other constituents in the party to have a say, things wouldn’t have degenerated this way.”

https://dailypost.ng/2021/02/22/ekiti-pdp-crisis-eleka-rejects-fayoses-endorsement-of-kolawole-for-governor/

Fayose should be prepared to slug it out because Eleka means business.

Ayo Fayose sees himself as one badass political strategist with dependable structure. However, experience has shown that victory in any election in Nigeria is usually the product of sum total of the political structures, goodwill and mobilization effort of many political leaders scattered in zones, constituencies and wards. No one politician can, arrogantly, go it all alone or with political nitwits, which is why Jagaban keeps luring, recruiting and even buying heavyweights from rival parties.

Fayose can't neglect Senator Olujimi and other heavyweight-stakeholders and expect his handpicked candidate to take a walk in the park. Not possible!

If only PDP keep being focused, it will be a good party

Fayose is only forcing recognition ..

festacman:
Ayo Fayose sees himself as one badass political strategist with dependable structure. However, experience has shown that victory in any election in Nigeria is usually the product of sum total of the political structures, goodwill and mobilization effort of many political leaders scattered in zones, constituencies and wards. No one politician can, arrogantly, go it all alone or with political nitwits, which is why Jagaban keeps luring, recruiting and even buying heavyweights from rival parties.

Fayose can't neglect Senator Olujimi and other heavyweight-stakeholders and expect his handpicked candidate to take a walk in the park. Not possible!

Don't mind Fayose, he will be disgrace las las in Ekiti

Did u pay his 2m endorsement fee?

If u did pay, did u add utility/ miscellaneous fee?

This Fayose just dey cash out from his guys.

Fayose my man.

Chai.
So Eleka now has a political camp outside Fsyose's. Abeg when did he join the group of heavy weights.

People tend to quickly forget. As far as I am concerned Eleka was the principal mistake and reason that PDP lost Ekiti state to APC. Fayose sentimentally gave him the opportunity as a neophyte brushing aside heavy weights like Adeyeye and Olujimi, with a false belief that with his Oshokomole politics/stomach infrastructure, he had pocketed the state.

If Fayose can find a way to forgive Olujimi for her perceived treachery against him in 2006 and if Olujimi on her own can find a way to sort things out with Fayose, APC will become history in that state.

Please those talking about Eleka should advise him to follow his oga peacefully.

When animals with horn come outside so snail sef go come out?

AishaYesufu:
Fayose should be prepared to slug it out because Eleka means business.

Eleka ko Elese ni

The political camp of former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Olusola Eleka, has rejected the endorsement of Chief Bisi Kolawole as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate by former governor, Ayodele Fayose.

There is no need to reject his endorsement, the voting populace will overwhelmingly use their votes to reject every form of imposition and hand-picking

AishaYesufu:
Fayose should be prepared to slug it out because Eleka means business.

Which Eleka?

That man that is always looking confused.

Never heard him say a word. Does he even talk?

Babzrockman:
Did u pay his 2m endorsement fee?

If u did pay, did u add utility/ miscellaneous fee?

This Fayose just dey cash out from his guys.

Lol Eleka isn't stupid

[s]

Cantonese:
Chai.
So Eleka now has a political camp outside Fsyose's. Abeg when did he join the group of heavy weights.

People tend to quickly forget. As far as I am concerned Eleka was the principal mistake and reason that PDP lost Ekiti state to APC. Fayose sentimentally gave him the opportunity as a neophyte brushing aside heavy weights like Adeyeye and Olujimi, with a false belief that with his Oshokomole politics/stomach infrastructure, he had pocketed the state.

If Fayose can find a way to forgive Olujimi for her perceived treachery against him in 2006 and if Olujimi on her own can find a way to sort things out with Fayose, APC will become history in that state.

Please those talking about Eleka should advise him to follow his oga peacefully.

When animals with horn come outside so snail sef go come out?

[/s]

Nonsense.

Eleka 2022

Fayose is playing games, he will end up supporting Eleka.

AishaYesufu:

Lol Eleka isn't stupid

Lol. I believed so.

Politicians are the major problems we have in this country.