Ekiti 2022: I never hijacked PDP ad hoc ward congress ― Fayose

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has denied the allegations by governorship aspirants in the state that he hijacked the process of the last Saturday’s ad hoc ward delegates congress of the party.

The aspirants including, former governor, Segun Oni, Senator Biodun Olujimi and four others had accused Fayose of hijacking the congress aimed at electing three ad hoc delegates in each of the 177 wards for the January 26 governorship primaries of the party.

Fayose who spoke while appearing on channels television’s programme ‘Politics Today’ on Wednesday night challenged the governorship aspirants to show evidence of him manipulating the congress, saying the committee sent from the national headquarters presided over the exercise.

He disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police who monitored the exercise have submitted their reports, which he said showed the successful conduct of the exercise in 170 out of the 177 wards in the state.

According to him, he is committed to the PDP winning the June 18 election in Ekiti state and that everything possible would be done to bring all aggrieved leaders and aspirants together in the interest of the party.

He noted that the aspirants were angry and aggrieved over their failure to secure his support ahead of the election, saying his support for the immediate past chairman of the party, Bisi Kolawole is unsettling the other aspirants.

Fayose said, ” Let me tell you that all these issues and protests against me, is the price of leadership. I am not contesting this coming election but supporting someone in Bisi Kolawole which the other aspirants are not happy with, hence their decisions against my person.

“I never hijacked the Congress and I am challenging the aspirants to show to the general public evidence that I hijacked the last Saturday’s congress. It is a successful process and you can see, INEC and the police have written their reports and you can see clearly, it was largely a successful exercise.”

He, however pleaded with the aggrieved aspirants to sheathe their sword and embrace peace in the interest of the party, adding that he would support whoever emerges at the primary.

“I am not muzzling anyone in Ekiti PDP. I must beg those that are angry to let us come together to win the governorship election. Whoever wins the primary election, even if it is Segun Oni, i will support him. We need to work together, that is the most important thing, ” he said.

On his rumoured 2023 presidential election, the former governor who neither denied nor confirmed his interest said he was interested in delivering Ekiti for the PDP before thinking about the next year general elections.