Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Otunba
Bisi Kolawole has said his party will take over the mantle of
leadership from the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) in
Ekiti State come 2022 as all indications point to the fact that Ekiti
people and indeed Nigerians were done with the “deceit and shenanigans
of the ruling party.”
Kolawole who said his agenda as the Chairman of the PDP was to unify
the party, ensure level playing ground for all members and win
elections starting with that of the governorship come 2022, affirmed
that the party in Ekiti has only one Exco under his leadership.
Special Adviser to Chairman on Media and Publicity, Bola Agboola said
in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday, that Kolawole made these
assertions during a Live Radio Programme on Our People’s FM, Ado Ekiti
on Monday.
He added that his party, with the support of the masses, will ensure
the party’s candidate is not rigged out as done in 2018.
He said, “the Agenda of this State Working Committee(SWC) is to unify
the party and then go ahead to win elections. We’ll conduct a free and
fair primary, whoever emerges as our candidate we will all support
because the process will be very open and fair.
“The target is the government house and we are chasing away the
remnants of APC after Governor Kayode Fayemi’s tenure because Ekiti is
a PDP State and we all know that but for the jagajaga they did, we won
the last election.
“I remember when they were in opposition, Jide Awe sang about Rig and
Roast. I tell you, this time around, whoever is thinking about rigging
had better perished that thought because the people are hell-bent on
taking over. If you are planning to rig, you are on your own as the
people are fed up and will definitely rise against you.
“The agenda is to take over governance in Ekiti. In-house, we’ll be
fair to all that is interested in becoming the governor of Ekiti,
we’ll allow them to contest fairly, we’ll give them equal opportunities
and whoever emerges winner will be supported.”
Asked where his confidence is coming from about his party taking over
in 2022, the former Commissioner said he was confident because Ekiti
people are tired of APC.
“The people are hungry, market women are waiting for us to come back.
We are all suffering in Ekiti, the people are keeping quiet because
they know it’s just a matter of time before APC is chased away with
their votes.
“APC is not a party that cares about the people. In Ekiti, what you
have is a click of about four people micro-managing the commonwealth
and resources of the state. Nothing is happening in terms of
development, nothing is happening on the streets. The masses are
waiting for PDP to take over governance because that is the only time
they enjoy life.”
Reacting to questions about the leadership of PDP in Ekiti State, the
former House of Assembly member said; “the problem in Ekiti PDP is no
longer about leadership as that has come and gone, the fact that
former Governor Ayodele Fayose is the leader of PDP in Ekiti is not in
the contest, the issue is about our congresses which is normal in
politics.
“What’s happening is not strange, I was once in the camp of former
Governor Segun Oni during the 318, 310 days, we supported Akin Omole
but we failed, we didn’t because of that leave the party, we
negotiated for harmonisation then but nothing was harmonised, we still
went ahead as a party to win elections in the seasons that followed.
“Some people have gone to Appeal Court after losing at the lower
court, we’ll ensure we fuss together again after they must have
exhausted that option, it is a family thing and I believe we’ll come
back together to send the APC out of Oke Ayoba so Ekiti can have a
true government of the people.”
On suggestions that he should not hesitate to suspend members
allegedly being used by the ruling party to destabilise Ekiti PDP, the
Chairman expressed the belief that it won’t come to that.
“We are not going to suspend any member unless such member prove
beyond every reasonable doubt that he or she is against the success of
the PDP.
“We’ll do everything possible to assuage the feelings of genuinely
aggrieved members and make everybody comfortable under the leadership
of Bisi Kolawole.
“The SWC will ensure all tendencies in the party are brought together
to achieve success, the spirit as I speak is to bring people into the
party, not suspend members, unless you are determined to leave the
party, we are not willing to send you out of the party. I don’t
belong to that school of thought for now.”
Kolawole advised members of the party to assist in bringing everyone
onboard saying divisive tendencies should be done away with.
“I don’t believe in members attacking members, attacking Olujimi,
attacking Duro Faseyi, that is not the spirit, this is a time to come
together, it’s not all confrontations you resolve with guns, this is a
time to be on the round table and talk it over. I hereby beseech all
members to do away with segregation and division as the time to fight
is over.”
