Ekiti PDP Guber Primary Ends In Crisis

Under very controversial circumstances, a former governor of Ekiti State, Peter Ayodele Fayose, yesterday emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allegedly polling 462 of the 477 votes cast.

According to the result of the primary election, held at the Great Eagle Hall in Ado Ekiti, the immediate past Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, purportedly secured a distant second position with seven votes, while Prince Adedayo Adeyeye polled three votes, and Mrs. Modupe Ogundipe, one vote, with four votes voided.

But, other contestants said they had boycotted the election, claiming that they were never part of the "charade", while vowing that Fayose would never be the party’s flag bearer.

The state's Special Congress Committee of the PDP, saddled with the task of conducting the primary election, declared the former governor as the winner, who would now fly the party’s flag in the June 21 governorship election in the state.

While other members of the State Working Committee were present at the venue, the State Chairman of the party, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, was conspicuously absent, which further fuelled the apprehension that he might not be in support of Fayose’s aspiration.

A mild drama had ensued earlier in the day,when some aggrieved party members and governorship aspirants, including Olubolade, Adeyeye, Dare Bejide, Biodun Aluko, Modupe Ogundipe and others stormed the venue to protest the election.

When over 500 security men, comprising police, men of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), with an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at the gate, realised that the situation was becoming tense, they fired teargas canisters sporadically and security details around the aspirants had to whisk them out of the venue in unmarked vehicles.

Particularly, Olubolade was rescued out of the flashpoint in a Hilux van, marked FR 845 ABJ by security agents and taken to Ikere-Ekiti, where he escaped en route Akure, Ondo State capital.

Announcing the result of the election, the Chairman of the PDP Special State Congress Committee and former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, said a total of 544 delegates were accredited for the Congress, while only 477 ballots were utilised, out of which four were voided.

Declaring Fayose the winner of the election, Odili said: "I think you have seen that the process for the conduct of this primary is transparent. I think you are all satisfied with the process."

He said further, "having scored the highest number of votes, Peter Ayodele Fayose is hereby declared the winner".

Odili clarified that the conduct of the primary election was not unconnected with the resolve of President Jonathan and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, to reposition the party and deepen internal democracy in the PDP.

"PDP is the largest party in Africa, and we must show this by following the normal rules the way we have done today. Our leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, and National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, have resolved to reposition the PDP through internal democracy and this we have demonstrated today," he said.

Fayose, who expressed happiness over his victory, promised to embark on a process of reconciliation for the party to remain united and well fortified to confront the incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi

He said: "I brought Fayemi into government in 2010, and I am more determined than ever to return him to where he belongs."

"Let me first thank our party leaders for doing a great job by conducting free and fair primaries. Now, we have to commence on a process of reconciliation by appealing to our brothers, who may be aggrieved in any way with this process."

"Nobody can run a government or party all alone. Losing an election or getting the governorship ticket is not the end of the world. There are other positions like the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives or Senate, which they may have interest in. We have to work together for the aspirations of all of us to be met."

"I am now a better person, 11 years after my first election as the Governor of Ekiti State. I am now more mature, more responsive and more experienced. So, I plead with my brothers to sheath their swords, because I am ready to cede positions to all of them."

However, some of those that had boycotted the primary election, held a press conference at the campaign office of one of the aspirants, Abiodun Aluko, while the election was on-going, to express their disenchantment with the election processes.

The quartet of Adeyeye, former Deputy Governor,Chief Abiodun Aluko; former member of the National Assembly, Senator Aluko and Erelu Dupe Ogundipe faulted the conduct of the governorship primary by the Ekiti State chapter of the PDP.

Addressing their supporters at Aluko's campaign office in Ado-Ekiti, they urged the national leadership of the party to declare the exercise null, void, and of no effect.

Senator Gbenga Aluko, who addressed party supporters, said: "The fraudulent primary they are holding is an exercise in futility. It will not stand, it cannot stand."

Aluko maintained that Fayose was not a member of the PDP, saying his readmission into the party did not satisfy Chapter II, Section8 (17) of the party’s constitution.

"First is the eligibility of former Governor Ayo Fayose to contest. He is not a bona fide member of our party, the PDP. Legally, he cannot contest the primary, and we are in court over that."

"Chapter II, Section 8 (17) of the PDP Constitution states that: 'Any member, who loses his membership for reasons other than non-payment of annual subscription may be readmitted on the recommendation of his Ward Executive Committee, through the Local Government Area Executive Committee, to the State Chapter of the party, and ultimately, to the National Working Committee, subject to ratification by the National Executive Committee'."

"From the provisions of Chapter II, Section 8 (17) of the PDP Constitution, Mr. Fayose’s readmissioninto the party requires the ratification of the National Executive Committee, which has not been done."

"Therefore, an appropriate candidate for the party, not Ayo Fayose, will be chosen by our party. That candidate will go ahead and win the June 21 election by the grace of God."

On the primary, the aspirant said: "A supposed primary is said to be going on now. But we all know that a primary election is not done by only one person. A primary is done by at least two people."

"Governorship aspirants of the PDP in Ekiti State are here present. It is only Ayo Fayose, a non-member of the PDP, that is at the Eagle Centre. Our State Chairman, Chief Makanju Ogundipe, all the three senatorial chairmen, and other major members of the State Exco are not in the so-called primary."

"Our party members should therefore know that the fraudulent primary they are holding is an exercise in futility."

"We shall take our case to our President, who is the leader of our party. We believe the President cannot be part of the charade going on here in Ekiti."

"We should not worry; we should stay calm, andbe assured that justice will be done."

"Also, the ward delegate congress conducted last Wednesday was seriously skewed in favour of Fayose. In five local governments, which include Ikere, Ado, Gboyin, Emure, Ise/Orun and Efon, no congress took place and results were compiled for those areas."

"Apart from that, in the other places where election held, there were electoral malpractices, such as snatching of electoral materials."

"Since July last year, the leadership of the party, including President Goodluck Jonathan, has been harping on the need for consensus to avoid acrimony."

"You can see what happened today; it was only this Fayose, who opposed the consensus method, and we are going to see what happens next. We are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and well-meaning PDP leaders to right the wrong that has been done."