TRACKING_____Elders and Stakeholders of EKiti Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined former Governor of the State, Mr Ayodele Fayose to endorse former Commissioner for Environment, Mr Bisi Kolawole as the preferred candidate that will replace the incumbent Chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase at the forthcoming congress of the party coming up on April 2.
The PDP elders also endorsed the candidature of Mr Joseph Omolase for the position of Secretary.
Earlier, the State Working Committee of the party (SWC) had distanced itself from the alleged move by some stakeholders of the party, led by the former governor, to impose a consensus candidate ahead of the primary.
However, the endorsement became finalized on Saturday after the meeting of the party stakeholders.
Reading the communique that arose after the meeting, PDP leaders in the South-West Caucus, Chief Idowu Odeyemi stated that the decision to endorse Kolawole was taken after consultations across the length and breath of the state.
Odeyemi, who debunked the allegation of imposition, said: “We have to say, however, that this endorsement by the elders does not foreclosed the right for others to to participate, which means the race is still open.
“We have only expressed our right to endorse our preferred candidate, which means other group can also endorse their own as well.”
He added that the elders were aware that other groups within the party have also endorsed there preferred candidates.
“We will meet them at the Congress. We are not imposing any candidate, we have only expressed our right. The party is one and after the Congress we shall remain one”.
Speaking with journalists on the development, the immediate past governor Fayose said he openly supported Bisi Kolawole because the PDP elders have expressed their confidence in him as the person who can move the party forward.
“We are not doing this to score any point, we are only looking for somebody who can manage our party vis-a-vis the fact that we don’t have a sitting governor.
“By the grace of God I am the only person that has served as governor that is still in this party. I am the only two term governor that still in this party. It would amount to evil for any one to wish me away,” he said.
On the review of the judgments of the Supreme Court being sought by political parties, Fayose described the development as unfortunate, saying it would become messy if the apex court reversed itself.
“It is unfortunate either way, for those of us who are not in the judiciary and those of them in the judiciary. The Nigerian situation is a reflection of its state of decay. For me it is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this situation.”
