*Olujimi petitions Secondus, wants Campaign Council dissolved
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.”
Source:- Tribuneonlineng
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