Ekiti guber: I stand by my deputy – Governor Fayose

Despite agreements reached at the reconciliation meeting by the David Mark-led committee on Ekiti crisis, the governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, has insisted that his preference and support for his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, remain untouched.

The former president of the Senate, along with other leaders of the party, met with Mr. Fayose and other aggrieved members of the party last Friday in Abuja with a view to resolve the lingering crisis in the Ekiti Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the governorship primaries.

The governor ignited a crisis when he adopted Mr. Olusola as his candidate for the election which holds in July 14 and got the party stakeholders in the state to endorse him before the primaries.

Other aspirants, including former PDP spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye; a serving senator, Biodun Olujimi; Dare Dejide; and Owoseni Ajayi have rejected the governor’s stance, saying he had already compromised the primaries and by his actions contravened the spirit and letters of the party’s constitution.

However, the meeting last Friday urged the governor to create a level-playing field for all aspirants in the interest of the party.

“All the parties agreed to a free, fair and credible primary to elect a gubernatorial candidate for the July polls,” part of the resolution read.

It was gathered that Mr. Fayose pledged to work with any of the contestants who emerges at the primary, even as none of the contestants were persuaded to withdraw.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, Mr. Fayose said in spite of the peace meeting, nothing would make his change his mind in his support for his deputy.

“In the spirit of understanding we had with (the) Senator David Mark-led reconciliation committee, knowing that we have more than one aspirant, I will ensure a level-playing ground,” he said.

“I have pitched my tent with Prof. Olusola and I stand with him, today and tomorrow. We are going to give everybody the right of primary.”

The party has tentatively slated the primary for April 29, 2018.

The governor begged Ekiti women to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to make his continuity agenda realisable.

His continuity entails a vote for his choice candidate as governor come July 14, 2018.

“The 2019 is very crucial and the 2018 elections in Ekiti and Osun will be acid tests. I am appealing to INEC, police and other security agencies to be transparent,” he said.

“I want to use this opportunity to tell the international community that I am a one-man army opposition to APC in Nigeria and what they want to do is to rig election here in Ekiti but we shall resist them.”