The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has inaugurated parallel campaign councils for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with each of the flanks insisting it is the authentic council.
Immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who is also the South West Coordinator of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Council, inaugurated one of the councils while the Minority Leader of the Senate, Chief Biodun Olujimi, inaugurated the other.
Olujimi had inaugurated the team led by a chieftain of the party, Chief Yinka Akerele earlier; while Fayose inaugurated the team led by the Chief-of-Staff in his government, Chief Dipo Anisulowo.
Both leaders of the PD, however, did not dissent in the leadership of the Atiku/Obi campaign by the party’s governorship candidate and Fayose’s deputy, Professor Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola.
Speaking at the inauguration of the council, held at a venue in Ajilosun area of the state capital, Olujimi said her action was informed by an earlier decision by the national leadership of the party, which had nominated the members of the campaign council for the state.
Olujimi said the committee members were picked from all the 16 local governments by party leaders and that they had even commenced work, had written letters and signed memos and had set January 3, 2019, as the date for the inauguration of the campaign council.
ALSO READ: 2019: We will resist attempt to annex Kwara by desperate politicians ― Saraki
She however lamented that “all of a sudden, we understand that Governor Fayose came and told the party executive that he was not pleased with the council and that he needed to be the one to do the composition. He now changed everybody and put his former chief-of-staff and others and replaced them with his people.
“All these happened without anyone among us being consulted and we find this unpalatable, unacceptable and of course this is bordering on impunity.”
However, Fayose, who inaugurated the Dipo Anisulowo-led committee, described any other gathering or Commiittee as “a nullity,” and warned that he was needed more than he needs any of the candidates because he was not contesting the election.
Fayose described members of the party, who were not at his inauguration, as “traitors”, saying “they need me more than I need them and we could ask our people to vote against these betrayers.”
The former governor explained that the campaign council “was carefully selected to represent all shades of opinions in the state chapter of the PDP,” and said he wondered why there were still complaints among some of the party members and leaders.
Speaking on the chances of Atiku in the election, Fayose predicted that the electorate in the northern part of the country would disappoint President Muhammadu Buhari in the coming presidential election.
He said the economic hardship in the country and the overall poor performance of the Buhari-led government were indicators to what would happen at the February 16 polls.
and then