The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Ekiti state have removed former governor Ayodele Fayose as the leader of the party in the state, National Daily has gathered.
recall that the former governor and his company, Spotless Limited, are facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering amounting to N2.2 billion.
Fayose was arraigned at a High Court in Lagos after he presented himself at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja, was later granted a N50 million bail.
National Daily gathered that leaders of the party in the state had called for the immediate dissolution of the present State Working Committee led by the state PDP chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase, and demanded the constitution of a caretaker committee.
At a meeting attended by Dr. Sikiru Lawal; former acting governor, Olatunji Odeyemi; Assembly deputy speaker, Segun Adewumi; former state PDP Chairman, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo; and other PDP stakeholders in the state, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, who is the party’s highest ranking political office holder in the southwest geo-political zone was affirmed the new leader in the state and the southwest region.
Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Senator Olujimi explained that Fayose was excluded from the meeting owing to the fact that he had just been released from detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial fraud.
“We knew what he might have passed through by staying in detention and we know it might not be easy for him to attend this meeting, so there is no faction at all in our party. My being appointed the Leader does not mean there is crisis.
“So, let me assure our supporters that we are on the same page with former Governor Fayose and other stakeholders. We are not factionalised and we shall work hard and ensure we win in next year’s election,” she said.
The leaders also resolved to throw their weight behind the candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential poll and other Ekiti candidates in the general elections.
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