Ekiti PDP members respond to Adeleke's victory asking for Fayose's sack for failing to deliver victory

MEMBERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have reacted to the recent victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke in Osun State by calling for the immediate suspension of former governor Ayo Fayose over the failure of the party in their state.

After a gruelling two-horse race, Senator Adeleke of the PDP floored incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State. University of Lagos vice chancellor Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the returning officer for the election, officially declared Senator Adeleke the winner and governor-elect with 403,371 votes.

In a similar election last month, Biodun Oyebanji of the APC  won the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State with a 30% margin victory over his closest challenger Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Bisi Kolawole of the PDP who was hand-picked by Governor Fayose, came third with 67,457 votes.

Party members are now blaming the former governor for their travails and a group called Ekiti Political Intervention Coalition (Epic), says he must be suspended as punishment for these failures. Epic convener Alexander Obisesan, also called on the party to dissolve the factional PDP executive committee in the state and install a caretaker committee to reorganise the party.

While congratulating Senator Adeleke for emerging victorious in the Osun governorship poll, Epic attributed PDP’s poor showing in Ekiti State to the Fayose mismanagement of the party for personal gains and a secret alliance with the APC. Epic also called on PDP governors across the country to distance themselves from Governor Fayose, alleging that he is secretly working for the APC to win the 2023 presidential election.

Mr Obisesan said: “Former governor Fayose has lost the trust and confidence of PDP members in Ekiti State and has become surplus to requirement in Ekiti politics. PDP members in Ekiti State and across the country are disenchanted with former governor Ayodele Fayose and blaming him for the party’s worst performance in Ekiti State since 1999.

“It is no longer hidden to party members and Nigerians that Fayose deliberately worked against PDP’s fielding of popular candidates in 2018 and 2022 in order to please some interest in the APC. While the victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke in Osun State is a reprieve for the PDP in the southwest, the party should, however, take a deliberate step to reorganise in Ekiti State.

“Since it has become evident that Fayose will never work for the PDP presidential candidate as his alliance with Asiwaju Tinubu is not hidden, it is time for the PDP governors to distance themselves from him.”