Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Ekiti State are currently making frantic efforts at reorganising and repositioning the party for good outing in future elections.
The state chapter of the party, no doubt has been in and out of crisis for about five years, after the party’s governorship primary election won by the former deputy governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola Eleka, ahead of the 2018 governorship poll in the state, was held.
The outcome of the shadow election then, which did not go down well with other contestants, led to the polarisation of the PDP with the emergence of a factional state exco loyal to the senator representing Ekiti South, Mrs Biodun Olujimi.
Also, a former minister of state for Works, Senator Adedayo Adedayo, who was among the contestants in the shadow election left the party to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) due internal wrangling in the party.
It would be recalled that Adeyeye, who worked for the APC to ensure that Governor Kayode Fayemi defeated Eleka of the PDP in the 2018 governorship election, was later rewarded with the APC ticket for Ekiti South.
Again, in the build up to the recently concluded June 18 governorship election in the state, a similar scenario played out in the party.
Former governor Mr Ayodele Fayose had supported a former commissioner and chairman of PDP in the state, Otunba Bisi Kolawole to win the governorship primary election of the party.
Senator Biodun Olujimi had pulled out of the contest minutes into the shadow election while former governor of the state, Chief Segun Oni who participated in the election later rejected the outcome of the exercise.
While Oni and members of his Ekiti PDP Progressives dumped the party for Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest the election proper, Olujimi remained in the PDP and picked the south senatorial ticket of the party once again.
The SDP flag bearer, Oni came second behind the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji while Kolawole of the PDP came distant third in the governorship election.
The party crisis was reignited in the first week of July as two factional state chairmen emerged in the party in one day.
A group loyal to the former governor Fayose had earlier announced Alaba Agboola, as the substantive party chairman.
Another group also countered the move by announcing the former chairman, Ado local government and former 2018 Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party, Hon Deji Ogunsakin as the state chairman hours later.
A statement by the state PDP publicity secretary, Hon Raphael Adeyanju said Ogunsakin’s ratification by the State Executive Committee, (SEC) was Sequel to his nomination by 10 out of 12 members of SEC from the Central Senatorial District.
But the state deputy chairman of the party, Hon Lanre Omolase and state secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun in an earlier statement said Agboola’s appointment was among the resolutions at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado Ekiti on the same day.
Adeyanju in a separate statement said, “This is to inform the general public that purported appointment of the State PDP Party Chairman by the former Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose should be ignored in its totality, since he cannot put something on nothing.”
Following the dismal performance of the party in the June 18 governorship election, some leaders of the party called a meeting to review the election, other party activities.
The meeting was also convened to discuss how to reposition the party and forge a united front ahead of the 2023 general election.
The PDP leaders equally resolved to woo Chief Segun Oni and other aggrieved members who had left the party as well as to rallying support for Presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
At the stakeholders’ meeting held in Ado-Ekiti, a few weeks ago, the PDP leaders and some party members in attendance adopted the collegiate method towards reforming the party in preparation for the polls.
Some of the party stalwarts at the meeting include: former Deputy Governors Dr. Tae Sikiru Lawal and Prof. Kolapo Olusola ; former National Assembly Members; Hons Yemi Arokodare and Wale Aribisala, former Zonal ex- officio, Mrs Adesoro; former Deputy Governorship candidate and PDP Chairmanship designate, Hon. Deji Ogunsakin, among others.
In a communique released after the meeting, the party’s stakeholders resolved as follow: “Declared their total support for the PDP presidential candidate and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, adding that all efforts would be geared in a bid to bring back members who left for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the build-up to the June 18 governorship poll including Chief Segun Oni”.
The communique signed by the PDP state publicity secretary, Raphael Adeyanju said the meeting was jointly convened by former Deputy Governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola and ex-House of Representatives member, Adewale Aribisala .
“That the state of the party gives room for very serious concern, most especially the party’s horrendous third position, in the last governorship election, therefore, there is urgent need to re-strenghten the party in order to win subsequent general election in the state.
“That henceforth the party in Ekiti State, adopts a Collegiate Leadership style for the collective rescue mission of the party losses and liabilities.
“That the current style of One – Man-Show Leadership of Mr Ayo Fayose, is ineffective, totally primitive, outdated, bizarre, and utterly rejected.
“That our members that had earlier migrated to SDP are welcomed back to the party and great efforts shall be made to reach out to His Excellency, Engr Segun Oni.”
But Mr Lere Olayinka, who is the media aide to Fayose denounced the meeting, saying the gathering of party leaders was not a true representation of “stakeholders” of the party.
Olayinka posited that they could not be “true stakeholders” when Fayose, as a former PDP governor, the PDP candidate in the last election, Mr Kolawole and all the senatorial and House of Reps candidates were not in attendance.
“There are organs of the party, the state executive committee, the state working committee and the state caucus and the chairman of the party has the authority to convene the meetings,” he said.
“Those who called themselves stakeholders do not have the authority to call any meeting of the party and so their resolutions are not binding on anyone.
“We also do not know what they meant by collegiate leadership. It has no authority from the party’s constitution and so it is not binding on anyone.”
Over a week ago, an event organised by Ekiti PDP Progressives was held to receive scores of aggrieved party members who left PDP for other parties prior to the June 18 governorship election back to the party.
Deputy national chairman, South, Alhaji Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja who received the returnee defectors, apologised on behalf of PDP and urged them to forget the past and work with them towards securing victory for the party in the 2023 presidential election.
He said: “We can’t achieve anything amidst disunity, we need to be united to move our party forward. I apologise to you to let go of the past and join hands together to strengthen our union.
“On behalf of all the leaders of PDP I plead that you find a place in your heart to forgive us,’’ he said.
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, the coordinator, Ekiti PDP Progressives and leader of the returnees, Hon. Wale Ayeni said they left PDP because they were treated with disdain and like strangers in the party.
He added that the process that led to the governorship primary election of the party was fraught with irregularities and the party leadership acted as if nothing happened.
The Senator representing Ekiti South, Mrs Biodun Olujimi in her remarks noted that PDP had learnt from its mistakes, urging the returnees to go to their wards and begin aggressive mobilisation for the party.
Olujimi who saluted the courage of the people said that they made the right decision.
The parliamentarian added that, though some untoward activities in the party was responsible for their action she said many are to be blamed for not speaking out while others were in support of the impunity going on in the party.
Political watchers are of the view that the ongoing fence-mending and the repositioning efforts in the party will put a stop to the recurring crisis and bring permanent peace to the party.
