The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, has declared himself ready for the challenge of governance, confident that the party will emerge victorious in the July 14 election in the state.
The candidate was on Wednesday, handed his certificate of return from the party national secretariat in Abuja, the first time any political party would be issuing the document to its candidates.
Speaking during the ceremony, he also said that PDP will continue to govern the state at the expiration of the tenure of Governor Ayo Fayose.
The candidate who is the incumbent deputy governor of the state, said Ekiti people will resist any attempt to influence the electoral process with money or even violence.
He said: “I want to assure our national leaders that Ekiti is for PDP. All the other parties are just shouting. Let them bring money, let them bring violence, Ekiti people will resist them. We are no more interested in accommodating unnecessary interlopers.
“People want to take us through another round of economic slavery. We are no more ready for that. I am ready and prepared to take up this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti State on the platform of the PDP. “
He praised the PDP national leadership for not interfering with the just concluded primary election in the state which he said was a proof of the party’s integrity and transparency.
Noting that their opponents could not conduct primary election in Ekiti state, he stated: “There is a big difference between the PDP and the other parties. We are a party that has totally eliminated imposition and impunity.
“We are a party where integrity, fairness and transparency hold and is the order of the day, party where there is order and leadership is respected. This is a pattern of the leadership we have at the national level.
“In our party, we don’t kick ballot boxes. In our party, we don’t snatch ballot boxes. In our party, we don’t engage in violence. In our party, we don’t have any cause to cancel any election. We don’t have any reason to postpone or suspend any election. Even when elections are schedule for a particular date, some people in other parties will still fix it for another day because they can’t get their act in order.”
On the issuance of a certificate of return to him, he observed: “I count my self privileged as the first gubernatorial candidate of our party to be issued a certificate of return. Today is historical and it will go down in history. And what this means is that we have won the July 14election.
“Heaven has sanctioned it that PDP will continue in government in Ekiti State after the expiration of the tenure of my amiable leader, Governor Ayodele Fayose.
“I must thank the Governor for standing on the side of the truth and for giving us leadership in Ekiti State. If we have a leader that is fearless, the followers will also have the courage to follow.”
In his remark, the National Organizing Secretary of the PDP, Col. Austin Akobundun, described the Ekiti PDP primary as the most credible and transparent gubernatorial primary in the history of Nigeria.
He thanked the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led primary election committee for a job well done and congratulated the runner-up and former party spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, for his spirit of sportsmanship.
Secretary of the Ekiti state PDP primary election committee, Dr. Baraka Sani, presented the report of the committee’s conduct of the primary to the party at the occasion.