Crisis Rocks Atiku’s Presidential Campaign In Ekiti – Tribune
LAGOS JANURY 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State looks set for a bumpy ride as the rivalry between immediate past governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose and the Senate Minority Leader, Chief Biodun Olujimi, has taken the center stage as the state chapter of the Presidential Campaign Council was inaugurated Monday.
Senator Olujimi, who has kicked against the composition of the state chapter of the campaign council, has consequently petitioned the National Chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, calling on the party’s National Working Committee to disband and reconstitute Atiku Abubakar Campaign Council in Ekiti State.
Olujimi, who has been in running battle with Fayose over the leadership of the PDP in the state, accused the former governor of allegedly hijacking the council and filling the body with those she referred to as Fayose’s cronies.
In the petition dated January 6, 2019, and signed by herself, she held that only immediate dissolution of the council she said was “highly lopsided” would “avert unnecessary cleavages in Ekiti PDP.”
According to Olujimi, who is also the party’s candidate in the February 6 election, failure to accede to the request could mar the party’s electoral chances in the state.
Olujimi said: “The original composition had Professor Olusola Kolapo as chairman; Otunba Yinka Akerele as Director-General, and Chief Sanya Atofarati as Spokesperson/Director of Media among others while the position of Secretary did not exist in the original composition by the National Directorate.”
But Olujimi said she was rejecting a team that was recently announced in the media, which also has Professor Olusola as chairman but has Chief Dipo Anisulowo as Director General; Chief Gboyega Oguntuase as Secretary; Jackson Adebayo as Spokesperson and Lere Olayinka as Director, Media and Publicity.”
Olujimi claimed that Fayose had hijacked the council, placed his cronies in all strategic positions allegedly with the sinister intention to sideline other members of the party from participating in mobilising for the PDP presidential candidate during the election.
She therefore charged Prince Secondus to compel Fayose, who is the South West Coordinator of the Atiku campaign, “to adhere strictly to the resolution reached by stakeholders on how the council should be composed at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Ado Ekiti on December 28, 2018 to forestall cracks and crisis in the party ahead of the much-awaited polls.”
Olujimi said in the petition: “It should be understood that this is another orchestrated plan of former Governor Ayo Fayose to convert the party’s resources and fortunes to his personal enterprise as usual.
“He did it during the last governorship election and our party paid dearly for it in spite of my advice, warnings and outcry. Once beaten is twice shy.
“The publication reportedly cited the cronies and stooges of Mr Ayo Fayose as Chairman, Secretary, Director General, Spokesperson, Director of Media & Publicity among others.
“This is most unacceptable as Ekiti people and Nigerians cannot afford to lose this golden opportunity to change the APC-led maladministration both at the national and state levels for one person’s self-centeredness.”
She claimed that changes were made to members of Atiku/Obi Campaign Council for Ekiti State without notifying the stakeholders, describing such as “demeaning and mischievous.”
She warned that, “if he (Mr Ayo Fayose) fails to comply with the above, we shall be left with no other option than to take appropriate actions that will reflect the wish of the people as agreed in the meeting of the Campaign Council at the PDP State Secretariat and chaired by Professor Olusola Kolapo, the Campaign Council Chairman on 28 December, 2018.”
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jan 8 2019. Filed under National.
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