THREE governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State are seeking four reliefs before the PDP national leadership over the ticket of the party for next year’s election.
Top on their demands in a petition to the chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, gleaned by Sunday Tribune included disqualification of the state PDP executive committee in the process leading to the governorship primary in early 2018, “having betrayed its expected neutrality.”
They requested that a caretaker committee should be put in place forthwith to ensure a fair-playing field at the primaries.
The petition is entitled ‘Complaint about the recent declaration of Professor Kolapo Olusola as the sole candidate for the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State.’’
It was signed by three aspirants:a former deputy governor of the state and serving Senator, Biodun Olujimi; former Commissioner to Canada and SSG TO the Ekiti State Government (SSG), Ambassador Dare Bejide, and a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, OwoseniAjayi.
Governor Ayodele Fayose, had explained that he adopted his deputy, Professor Olusola, as his successor based on his rights as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.
Fayose said: “Constitutionally, my deputy is at liberty to run for election and I am at liberty to support anyone of my choice. Above all, other aspirants have nothing to fear, if they have capacity to defeat him (Olusola) as the primary election is ahead.”
But while lauding Makarfi and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEWC of PDP for their yeoman’s job towards placing the party on a new pedestal through the reconciliations throughout the country, the petitioners however expressed dissatisfaction with the undermining of due process in the supposed endorsement of the incumbent deputy governor of the state as the candidate of the PDP.
They claimed the endorsement by the governor of his deputy amounted to jumping the gun since the Independent National Electoral Commission was yet to announce the timetable for the election.
“You may wonder the inglorious role played in this clearance by the State Executive of the party as it violates the duty of neutrality they swore to: they have thus disqualified themselves from taking part in the process that would govern the primaries sometimes in 2018.
“As men and women of honour and integrity, we are sending in this petition because of our unalloyed support, commitment and deep interest in our great party and in recognition of the excellent job the National Executive Committee of the party is doing under your able leadership. Particularly the culture of impunity, imposition and arbitrariness should be completely and finally rested in our party.
“We humbly respectfully call on you to disregard the charade and the rape of the democratic norms our party stands for. This is nothing short of imposition which our party abhors like poison.
“Your Excellency will agree with us that INEC had not officially announced the time table for the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State in accordance with the electoral act nor had the party issued its guidelines,’’ the petition said.
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“In fact the action of Governor Fayose and his coerced group is illegal, null and void as it violates the provision of sections 50(1) 50(2) and 50(2b) of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2012,” the petitioners stated.
They expressed confidence in Makarfi and his team in the way and manner they had been steering the affairs of the party and to restore discipline and sanity.
Part of the petition read: “Your Excellency, you may be aware of current developments in Ekiti State on Wednesday 6th September, 2017, when suddenly and unexpectedly we heard over the air-waves and online news media of the adoption of His Excellency Professor KolapoOlusola, the current deputy governor of Ekiti State, as the sole candidate of the party by nominees and appointees of His Excellency, Dr Peter Ayo Fayose, hurriedly put together for the 2018 Governorship election in Ekiti state.
“We have it on good authority and we verily believe our members present at the venue, that the said motley crowd was arranged for a different purpose when it veered off to become delegates that adopted Prof KolapoOlusola. Specifically it was announced on the Radio and Television Stations that the people invited thereof were to attend a retreat where the appointed consultant was to educate and enlighten people on the forthcoming Local Government and 2018 Gubernatorial elections. Those present at this event included the State Party Executive of PDP, Local Government Council Chairmen and Councillors, State Commissioners, members of Boards and Commissions, House of Assembly members and others not recognised by the PDP constitution nor the electoral law.”