Tension in Ekiti, as PDP elects guber candidate

Ekiti Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi

There is tension everywhere in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital as members of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), gather today at the Great Eagle Centre, to elect their candidate for the governorship election coming up on June 21. The cause of the tense political atmosphere is the fear of possible violence that may be unleashed by thugs  and fears of the unknown.

The Ekiti State command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Victor Babayemi told  Saturday Sun in a telephone interview that the Nigeria Police is “aware of the tense situation in Ekiti and fully prepared for it, to ensure it forestalls any form of violence or breakdown of law and order.

“As I speak to you now (yesterday afternoon), the Commissioner of Police just finished from long hours of meeting with management team; and we have deployed our men to the place and have taken over the place.”

The top contenders,  who  participated in the Wednesday Congress out of the 14  aspirants jostling for the party ticket, were former Governor Ayodele Fayose, who has been a strong advocate of  primary election, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and immediate past  Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade.
Consequently, the trio will lock horns for the party ticket, with one of them emerging as the party flag bearer today, either through primary or consensus method when the delegates meet.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, said all is set for the conduct of the primary in spite of opposition from Prince Adeyeye who had called for cancellation of the ward congress in seven local government areas over the conduct of the delegate congress held  in the state on Wednesday which was characterised by violence and opposition from members who did not want it to be held, especially those demanding consensus arrangement and unrelenting agitation for primary by Fayose, the only former governor of the state among the aspirants.

Those that boycotted and embraced consensus were  Senator Gbenga Aluko, Abiodun Omoyeni, Peter Obafemi, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, Mrs. Modupe Ogundipe, Ropo Ogunbolude, Alhaja  Abibatu Adubiaro, Deji Ajayi, Wale Aribisala, Bodunde Adeyanju and Amb Dare Bejide.

While addressing news men on Tuesday, the chairman of the  Delegate Committee from Abuja, Alhaji  Danladi Maiauduga, said the party would conduct the  congress, saying it was a constitutional matter and procedure that must be fulfilled.

Meanwhile, former Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Mr. Ayo Arise and  another aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye have declared that  members would not tolerate any form of fraud in today’s PDP  primary.

They insisted that only credible primary, where genuine list of delegates are used, would save the party from imminent collapse in the run-up to June 21 election.

Source: Sunnewsonline