PDP chair: Why Fayose is against me ―Adeniran

PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship aspirant, Prof Tunde Adeniran, has observed that he has not been able to secure the support of his state governor, Ayo Fayose because of the Ekiti governor’s presidential ambition.

Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination form for the post at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Wednesday, he said the governor does not believe that the PDP could have both its national chairman and presidential candidate for 2019 election from the same state.

He was however confident that with the grace of God and support of party members, he could clinch at least 80 percent of the vote at the election in the December 9 – 10 national convention.

Adeniran was also optimistic that the Ekiti state governor would come round to support his chairmanship ambition at some point before the national convention.

He said: “I am enjoying by the grace of God the support of the masses of the PDP and of course I believe that people have various interest.

“My governor that you referred to was interested in contesting the presidency of this country and I believe that he thought that well, it will be impossible for us to have the president and national chairman from the same place.

“Now, the more he realizes that the party has taken a decision that our president by the grace of God as for 2019 will come from the North, the more he realises that the more he realizes the reason to stand by the method decided by the party, the more he will realize the position taken by the party at the convention is a reality and that he will support his brother Adeniran for the chairman.

“In fact, I expect that he will lead the Ekiti state delegation to support me at the convention.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has admonished chairmanship candidates to rein in their supporters who he said are wrongly accusing the national leadership of bias.

Speaking while receiving Prof Adeniran on a courtesy call on Wednesday, the party boss noted that despite the peace accord reached by the aspirants, some of their supporters are still questioning the sincerity of the Caretaker Committee.

He assured that the committee is committed to conducting a transparent, free and fair national convention.

Makarfi stated: “I will assure you that as a caretaker committee we will do our best no matter what a few might say. We are determined to be transparent and to conduct a free and very fair convention where the views of PDP members will prevail.

“One of the key elements of the peace accord we discussed yesterday was the acknowledgment that the only thing the party has zoned in respect of national issues is the presidency for North and chairmanship for South.

“And in the peace accord which we have signed, you categorically stated that by the south, you meant all the states in the South and by the North all the states in the North.

“If aspirants themselves come to a conclusion, develop a document and sign, it is very unfair to hear accusations that the caretaker committee has refused to do some things that we have no powers to do.

“We also did say that wherever there is a political arrangement whether in the North or South to push for consensus, we will acknowledge it.

“But we also said that we have no power to force delegates but it can form a basis for campaign.

“Some statements have come from an individual who claims to support or promote your course. To continue to issue press releases condemning the caretaker committee which is completely contrary to the document you signed, you people should be able to call such a person to order if you mean well for this party.

“Such individual has done everything possible to make us compromise by going to the media to say that we have compromised with somebody else.

“Left for such individuals the caretaker committee should not be in place.”