Its Inappropriate For Fayose To Declare His Presidential Ambition – Ekiti PDP
A faction of the People Democratic Party, PDP, has shown their displeasure for the State Governor announcing his ambition for the Presidential post. The PDP Chairman in Ekiti State, Chief Williams Ajayi, faulted Governor Ayo Fayose for announcing presidential ambition at the non-elective Nation Convention held on Saturday in Abuja.
Ajayi said Fayose’s declaration of a presidential ambition was at variance with the party’s position that the presidential ticket had been zoned to
the North, while vice presidential ticket has been ceded to Southeast and Southsouth.
He said the Ekiti governor’s presidential ambition, proclaimed through banners, posters and T-shirts worn by members of Ekiti State House of Assembly and local government chairmen were at variance with the party’s position that the presidential ticket has been zoned to the North while vice president ticket has been ceded to Southeast and Southsouth.
He said Fayose was to blame for the free-for-all which erupted at Ekiti’s
stand at the convention which he said was sparked by governor’s order that party leaders that did not wear lemon green colour “Fayose-for-President” T-shirt should vacate the place.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Ajayi wondered why the governor allegedly left the VIP stand to order his security personnel and House of Assembly members to force party leaders who are not members of his caucus out of the convention venue.
He maintained that he remained the authentic state party chairman on grounds that “the July 12 Supreme Court judgment which affirmed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the National Caretaker Chairman did not affect his (Ajayi’s) position as Ekiti PDP boss.”
Ajayi disclosed that the Gboyega Oguntuase-led faction is presently before the Court of Appeal, Ado-Ekiti challenging the judgment of the Federal High
Court, Ado-Ekiti which affirmed him (Ajayi) as the valid chairman before appeal coming up for hearing on 4th October.
Giving account of what happened at the Abuja convention, Ajayi said: “When we got there on Saturday, it was a non-elective convention and it was all
about unity and reconciliation and we in Ekiti stand were exchanging banters and hailing one other until Governor Fayose came from the VIP stand.
“We noticed that local government chairmen and House of Assembly members wore branded lemon colour Fayose-for-President T-shirts, going about with placards announcing his ambition for 2019 presidency.
“Fayose came from the VIP stand and ordered that delegates that did not put on the T-shirts should leave the venue and this did not go down well with
those affected. He ordered that House of Assembly members and security personnel should start attacking and molesting these party leaders that
refused to obey his order.
“It became a free-for-all at the Ekiti stand; after the intervention of Prof. Tunde Adeniran, some leaders withdrew by wlaking away from the event because of their position that Fayose’s declaring for President was an affront on the position of the winning strategy of the party as approved by the last Port Harcourt convention.
“At the Port Harcourt convention, it was agreed that the North should produce the presidential candidate while the vice presidential slot should go to the Southeast and the South-south and the National Chairman should go to the Southwest.
“We strongly condemn Fayose’s behaviour and show of shame in Abuja because this is a party that believes in the rule of law and a party of knowledgeable people. Fayose’s ambition is at variance to the winning strategy of the PDP in 2019.”
