The leadership rivalry between the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi as they inaugurate parallel campaign councils for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ex-governor, in his capacity as the South West Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party campaign, inaugurated the council members in Ado Ekiti, in line with list of names reportedly approved by the national secretariat of the party.
Olujimi who is representing Ekiti South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, also made use of different location in Ado Ekiti to inaugurate parallel council.
In a petition to Uche Secondus, the party chairman, the senator accused Fayose of hijacking the council and injecting his cronies in all strategic positions with a view to sidelining other members of the party from participating in mobilising for the PDP presidential candidate during the election.
This, she said, was contrary to the list agreed to by party stakeholders and therefore, urged the National Working Committee to disband and reconstitute the council in the interest of all in the forthcoming elections.
Olujimi asked Secondus to compel Fayose to adhere strictly to the resolution reached by stakeholders on the composition of the council at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado-Ekiti on December 28, 2018 to forestall crisis in the party ahead of the polls.
NAN reports that while the Olujimi inauguration took place at the Ajilosun area of the state capital and was attended by members of the party loyal to her, Fayose’s inauguration, on the other hand, took place at his former campaign office in Adebayo area of the state capital, now renamed Atiku/Obi campaign office.
The former governor, while inaugurating his version of the campaign council, described Olujimi’s effort a nullity.
He warned that he might use his position to mobilise the people to vote out those he described as ‘traitors’ in the coming election.
“They need me more than I need them, because in my own case, I have got nothing to lose as I am not contesting any elective position. We will ask our people to vote against these betrayers,” he said.
According to the former governor, the campaign council was carefully selected in agreement with the National Secretariat of the party to represent all shades of opinion in the state PDP.
In his remarks, the chairman of the campaign council for Fayose’s camp and former Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, also distanced himself from the Olujimi campaign group.
Olusola said that the Olujimi council was illegitimate.
“There is no alternative campaign council except this one. Any other campaign council where my name appears outside the one inaugurated by our leader, the (ex-)governor, is illegal.”
The state PDP chairman, Mr. Gboyega Oguntuase, said the Fayose-led Council is the only legitimate body recognised by Abuja.
“This is the only legitimate gathering where authority resides. Any other gathering is illegal and illegitimate but we shall not be provoked,” Oguntuase said.
NAN reports that Olujimi, at the inauguration of her campaign council, said that injustice breeds impunity; adding that if the party stakeholders met and selected people, no individual, including Fayose, has the right to void same.
She said though she was not a party to the selection of the campaign council, she has the right to continue with the assignment.
(NAN)
