Ekiti factional PDP backs Makinde

Estimated reading time: 8 minute(s)

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State loyal to Senator Biodun Olujimi, has reiterated its loyalty to the leadership of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde in the Southwest chapter.

The faction, which said the governor remained the undisputable PDP leader in the zone, dissociated itself from a statement credited to the former Governor Ayodele Fayose-led faction, attacking Makinde.

The faction had criticised Makinde for positioning himself as the party leader in the Southwest, alleging that he was an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was destabilising the chapter.

It also alleged that Makinde was behind the preponderance of lawsuits against the party in Ekiti and Osun states to please his paymasters as a payback for the support he got during his election.

But, Olujimi’s faction urged Fayose to stop leadership tussle with Makinde and retrace his steps, saying that there was no leadership vacuum in the Southwest PDP.

The party, in a statement by the factional Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Adesua, said the party’s constitution conferred leadership on Makinde, being the highest ranking officer in the zone, adding that Fayose enjoyed the same privilege when he was in the saddle.

“We are using this medium to appeal to our leaders across the Southwest, especially those who are aggrieved for one reason or another, to give peace a chance in the best interest of the party and the populace.

“Governor Makinde is the leader of PDP in Southwest and the Ekiti State chapter is behind him. This is not to say that former Governor Fayose can be wished away in the scheme of things as one of the party leaders in the zone, but he should understand that he does not own the party.

“As such, he should respect the existing political organogram/arrangements, which he once benefitted from, as the only elected PDP governor in the zone between 2014 and 2018.

“What we expect from him is to give Makinde the same support he enjoyed from PDP leaders across the zone, when he (Fayose) was at the helm, instead of working against the progress of the party,” the statement said.

The party debunked allegation against Makinde that he was the one sponsoring the litigations instituted against the Fayose faction. It described it as laughable.

“This spurious allegation confirmed our suspicion that Fayose decided to move against Makinde, when he couldn’t get him to support his unconstitutional takeover of the party structure in Ekiti State.

“For emphasis, those being paraded by Fayose as representatives of Ekiti PDP SWC are merely members of his Osoko Political Assembly (OPA), an association, who must dance to only his tunes.

“So, whatever it does or any decision taken by any of them or by all of them does not represent the position of Ekiti State PDP, rather a sole decision of Mr. Fayose as an individual,” it said.

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