ROTIMI OJOMOYELA recalls the events leading to the victory of former governor Ayodele Fayose as the PDP governorship flag bearer in the June election in Ekiti state, as well as the attendant protest by other aspirants
After much haggling and massive horse trading on whether consensus or primaries would be adopted to determine the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in June 21 governorship election, a former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose on Saturday, emerged the party’s governorship candidate.
Fayose polled 462 votes to defeat other 13 aspirants in a primary analysts described as a lone horse race. This is because 13 of the governorship aspirants boycotted the election following their disagreement with the process to be adopted in determining the party’s standard bearer at the poll.
The election was conducted at the Great Eagle Hall located along Ado-Ikere road in Ado Ekiti, the capital city amidst tight security made up of personnel from the Police, State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Jostling for the ticket with Fayose were Wale Aribisala, Bisi Omoyeni, former acting governor, Biodun Aluko, Dayo Adeyeye, Deji Ajayi, immediate minister of police affairs, Caleb Olubolade, Dare Bejide, Senator Gbenga Aluko and Peter Obafemi.
Others included; Alhaja Adubiaro Omolara, Erelu Dupe Ogundipe, Ropo Ogunbolude, Bodunde Adeyanju and Dr Bode Olowoporoku.
Before now, all the aspirants except Fayose opted for a consensus arrangement as advised by President Goodluck Jonathan. The former governor however favoured primaries.
A five-man special state congress committee led by former governor of Rivers state, Dr. Peter Odili conducted the primary. In the early hours of the election day, some angry party members and governorship aspirants, led by Olubolade, Adeyeye, Bejide, Biodun Aluko and Ogundipe among and others, had stormed the venue of the exercise in protest that the primaries would not hold, but they were swiftly dispatched by the combined security operative with several canisters of tear-gas. Olubolade who escaped death by whiskers was spirited away by security operative in a navy blue Hilux vehicle. Armoured personnel carrier was stationed at the entrance of the Hall, delegates and journalists went through thorough screening before being allowed into the hall.
According to the chairman of the committee, 544 delegates from 177 wards were accredited for the primary. Odili described PDP as not only the biggest party in Africa but the party that believes so much in internal democracy.
“President Goodluck Jonathan and the chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu have resolved to reposition the party by promoting internal democracy and that is exactly what we are doing today”, Odili clarified.
On hand to witness the conduct of the exercise were the host executive members of the party except the chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe. Others in attendance were the party chairmen in Ogun, Oyo and some party chieftains from the South West. The election started at about 12:02, as delegates from the 16 local governments areas were called out in an orderly manner to cast their votes.
It was gathered that Makanjuola may have distanced himself from the exercise probably because of his position as the chief advocate of consensus.
The entire process, including the accreditation and was less than four hours. Announcing the result, the Dr. Odili said at the end of the exercise, Olubolade, the former police affairs minister polled 7 votes, while the duo of Adeyeye and Ogundpe scored 3 and 1 vote respectively.
Speaking further, the committee chairman said a total of 544 delegates were accredited for the exercise while 477 were utilized out of which 4 were voided.
Declaring ex-Governor Fayose winner of the election, Odili, said: “I think you have seen that the process for the conduct of this primary is transparent.”
Fayose, who expressed happiness over his victory, promised to embark on process of reconciliation for the party to remain united and well fortified to confront the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi in the election.
He claimed to have brought “brought Fayemi into government in 2010 and I am more determined than ever to return him to where he belongs.”
However, the 13 aspirants and their supporters later regrouped at the campaign office of one of them, a former acting governor of the state, Biodun Aluko, where they maintained their stand that the whole process was fraudulent and a charade. They unanimously faulted the conduct of the governorship primary by the state PDP.
Addressing their teeming supporters, they urged the national leadership of the party to declare the exercise null and void and of no effect. Senator Aluko, who spoke on their behalf, alleged that a number of anomalies trailed the exercise.
They said: “First is the eligibility of former Governor Ayo Fayose to contest. He is not a bona fide member of our party, the PDP. Legally, he cannot contest the primary and we are in court over that.
“Also, the ward delegate congress conducted last Wednesday was seriously skewed in favour of Fayose. In five local governments including Ikere, Ado, Gboyin, Emure. Ise/Orun and Efon, no congress took place and results were compiled for those areas.”
“Apart from that, the other places where the election held, there were electoral malpractices such as snatching of electoral materials. Since July last year, the leadership of the party, including President Goodluck Jonathan has been harping on the need for consensus to avoid acrimony.
“You can see what happened today, it was only this Fayose who opposed the consensus method and we are going to see what happens next. We are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and well-meaning PDP leaders to right the wrong that has been done,” he said.
Realising the need for a serious fence mending, in other to position the party for victory, Fayose said, “now, we have to commence on a process of reconciliation by appealing to our brothers who may be aggrieved in any way with this process.
“Nobody can run a government or party all alone. Losing an election or getting the governorship ticket is not the end of the world. There are other positions like the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives or Senate which they may have interest in. We have to work together for the aspirations of all of us to be met.
“I am now a better person eleven years after my first election as the Governor of Ekiti State. I am now more matured, more responsive and more experienced. So, I plead to my brothers to sheath their swords because I am ready to cede positions to all of them,” Fayose said.
With all these disquiet and dissenting voices arising from confusion and controversies over the primaries, zoning and consensus and taking into consideration the little time left to do reconciliation among the warring factions, one wonders if the PDP is not going to the June 21 governorship battle with a fractured unity.
Except a genuine reconciliation is achieved, the party might have made the task in the governorship election easier for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
