Why Ondo scenario cannot replay in Ekiti PDP —Ex-deputy gov

A former deputy governor of Ekiti State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Abiodun Aluko, has said that the two factions in the Ekiti State chapter of the party want the PDP to retain the state.

Aluko told Nigerian Tribune in an interview, in Ado Ekiti, that the party had “two groups, one led by Governor AyodeleFayose and another led by Senator Clement Awoyelu,” but insisted that both groups were not interested in allowing the PDP to lose election in 2018.

He said the party was better off when compared to the Ondo State scenario because, according to him, “the Ondo State scenario cannot replay itself in Ekiti State because Ondo’s case came about just about one month to the election, when the Jimoh Ibrahim issue came up.

“The next election in Ekiti State comes up in 2018, and we still have enough time to be able to resolve whatever differences we would have once a group is declared the legally recosnised  executive of the party.

“That the new group will make overtures to the other. There would be reconciliation and possibly harmonisation to make sure that the party carries the day in the next governorship election. Neither of the two parties wants the party to lose. I know that Governor Ayodele Fayose would want to produce a PDP man to succeed him as the next governor.

“The other group would also want a PDP man to be the next governor. So, both of them are struggling to achieve the same aim. But, we still have about 18 or more months to the next governorship something in Ekiti PDP and therefore I think that we still have time to get the issues sorted out, unlike what happened in Ondo State.”

He expressed optimism that a court judgment on what he described as the disputed executive of the PDP in Ekiti would set the tone for the future engagements of the party in the state.