Ekiti 2018: Adeyeye dumps PDP

The defeated governorship aspirant in the Tuesday, May 8, 2018 primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on Thursday, dumped the PDP but is yet to announce the new political party he will be joining with his supporters in the state. Adeyeye complained that Governor Ayodele Fayose obstructed his campaign, restricted him from reaching out to the party’s delegates

Adeyeye protested that the day he declared joining the governorship race, Governor Fayose locked the gate of the Sate Secretariat to prevent people from attending his declaration. He decried that there was no level playing field in the competition, saying that Fayose appointed the delegates to the primary.

Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Kolapo Olusola, won the PDP primary to emerge the governorship candidate of the party in the July 14 election.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Chairman of the Election Committee, announcing the result declared that Olusola polled 1190 votes, while the defeated former Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye, polled 771 votes, seven voted were voided. Governor Okowa said 1968 delegates were accredited for the primary election. The total valid votes recorded were 1961.

The primary election drew delegated from the 26 local government areas of the state; over 2,100 delegates participated in the voting exercise.

The delegates were classified to include 1,585 statutory PDP members, and 547 National Ad-Hoc Committee Members.

One of the governorship aspirants, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, earlier on Tuesday, stepped down from the race and aligned with Prince Adedayo Adeyeye to challenge Olusola for the PDP ticket. Olusola is being sponsored by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Governor Okowa had commended the aspirants for displaying sportsmanship in the contest and allowing the process to be peaceful. The Delta Governor said the contenders agreed to accept the result even before it was announced. “Adeyeye came to me after the announcement of the result and told that he was satisfied with the result and he had to leave,” Governor Okowa had declared.

Governor Fayose had decided stay away from the primary election to allow peace to prevail during the polls. The governor noted that he would make necessary sacrifice eliminate all forms of confusion and allow for level playing ground for all the aspirants.