I Joined APC Because Of Gov Oyebanji, Not My Father – Fayose’s Son

A son of former Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, Boluwatife, has disclosed that he joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because of Governor Oyebanji’s love for the Ekiti people, not based on his father’s prompting.

He stated this while addressing APC leaders and members in Irepodun/Ifelodun State Constituency 2 of Ekiti State, after they ratified his  nomination as their consensus candidate for the Constituency.

His ratification was done during the constituency meeting of the APC members held at Iworoko Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun local government area of the state at the weekend.

Fayose was presented by the APC leadership of his Afao ward to the party, following the zoning of the State House of Assembly ticket of the six wards Constituency to Afao ward.

Addressing the gathering, Boluwatife, who thanked the party leaders and members present, said “ex governor Fayose who is not a member of our party (APC) also sent his greetings”.

He said he joined the party out of his own volition adding that his father wasn’t responsible for his becoming a member of the party.

“It is because of the good character of governor Oyebanji, his love for the people that attracted me to APC. The most important thing on my mind is the forthcoming governorship election, that is our focus”.

He promised to collaborate with and work with the people, even the outgoing member, going forward to win the election.

“I will make sure everybody is carried along and ensure nobody is left behind. But the most important thing right now is the June 20 governorship election, because without that every other thing means nothing,” he said.

Presenting Fayose to the party leaders, chairman of Afao ward, Hon. Fatai Anjorin, said the son of the former state governor was the only person who showed interest in contesting the state Assembly election in the ward.

Ratifying Fayose’s nomination, all the six ward Chairmen in the Constituency, Hon. Anjorin (Afao), Hon. Olusola Adelusi (Iworoko), Hon. Akinsola Peter (Igbemo), Hon. Augustine Faparusi (Awo), Hon. Ogunleye Emmanuel(Iropora, Eyio, Esure) and Are ward Chairman held and raised Fayose’s hands up as a symbolic affirmation of his candidature.

One of the leaders of the party in the Constituency, who is also the state Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun while addressing the gathering said the ticket was zoned to Afao ward in the spirit of fairness and equity.

Olatunbosun said, “Afao ward is one of the six wards in the Irepodun/Ifelodun State Constituency and since 1999 to date, Afao and Awo are  the two wards yet to represent the constituency at the State House of Assembly while others wards and communities have been their before now. The time for Awo to do it will also com. We have talked to those that have shown interest from the area to bear with us. No candidate has emerged for now, it was ticket zoning that was done . When primary proper will come up, whoever is dissatisfied with the process can come out to contest it”.

The commissioner further said that the national leadership of the party has approved that candidates of the party at any level can emerge through direct primary or consensus mode of primary  and whatever party decides.

“What was done was a collective resolution to zone the constituency Assembly ticket to Afao ward, while we told Awo and others that is going to continue like that turn by turn. APC has resolved to adopt consensus mode of primary for the selection of local government councillorship, Vice Chairmanship, Chairmanship candidates and it is also adopted in preparation for the state Assembly election. This is the process AC, ACN, APC and progressives have been adopting for years.

“As soon as our party is ready for every other processes, we are pushing him forward and we will communicate this particular resolution here today to the party at the state level for them to know that the leaders and members  of our party from our constituency have affirmed the candidature of Fayose as the sole candidate in the Constituency”.