the Concerned Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders in Ekiti State on Thursday faulted the refusal of the party at the national level to sanction a former governor of the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, for alleged anti-party activities during the 2019 general elections.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué at the end of their meeting at Ifaki Ekiti, alleged that “Fayose campaigned against the PDP and its candidates in the last elections and has not been checked or sanctioned by the National Working Committee.”
The communiqué was signed by delegates across the 16 local government areas of the state at the meeting chaired by Dr Jimi Oke, with former acting governor, Tunji Odeyemi, and Kehinde Odebunmi among others in attendance.
The stakeholders expressed optimism that “PDP is the party to beat in Ekiti State but has to be well restructured and allow discipline to reign supreme.”
They condemned imposition of candidates on the party, describing it as “inimical to the progress of the party. That this has bred indiscipline among members and low morale among the disciplined members.”
The concerned PDP stakeholders also resolved that the status of the new party secretariat on Ajilosun Road in the state capital, should be disclosed by the PDP State Working Committee.
A fact-finding committee of the stakeholders had in their report at the meeting hinged the party’s poor outing in the general elections in the state on alleged anti-party activities by the former governor; and lack of virile, bold and capable SWC with capacity to lead.
Other factors, according to them, include impoverishment of party members and few political appointments.
The stakeholders resolved that as way forward, the PDP should be returned to the people by way of restoring members’ rights to choose for themselves and as well sanctioning anti-party activities by any member in line with the party’s constitution.
But Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, dismissed the gathering, saying those in attendance were not PDP members.
Olayinka said, “I don’t know of any PDP meeting. A gathering having the House of Assembly members who were responsible for the removal of duly elected council chairmen, vice chairman and councilors should not be accorded any recognition.
“To me, that is not a gathering of PDP members.”