Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, has said his party would take over the mantle of leadership from the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 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.
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He added that his party, with the support of the masses would 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 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.
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“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 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 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 harmonized.
“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 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 on board 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.”
