Southwest PDP crisis deepens as Ekiti faction disowns Fayose

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the southwest took a new twist on Tuesday as faction of the Ekiti State chapter of the PDP loyal to Senator Biodun Olujimi thrown its weight behind Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, and rejected ex-Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The faction clarified its position on Tuesday via a statement, titled, ‘Ekiti PDP disowns Fayose, backs Makinde’s S’ West leadership signed by the factional Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Adesua, in Ado Ekiti.

The PDP factional spokesperson appeals to Fayose “to support Makinde’s leadership and allow peace to reign in the zone, instead of leading another group to oppose him.”

“Gov. Seyi Makinde is the leader of PDP in Southwest and the Ekiti State Chapter is solidly behind him. This is not to say that former Governor Ayo Fayose can be wished away in the scheme of things as one of the party leaders in the zone, but he should understand that he does not own the party.

“And as such, should respect the existing political organogram/arrangements which he once benefitted from, as the only elected PDP Governor in the zone between 2014 and 2018.

“What we expect from him is to give Gov. Makinde the same support he enjoyed from PDP leaders across the zone when he (Fayose) was at the helms of affairs instead of working against the progress of the party,”

Adesua added that the party, which had only one sitting governor out of the six states in the South-West, could no longer afford destabilization orchestrated by individuals who assumed ownership of the party.

Meanwhile, a former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Wole Oyelese, has blamed the crisis in the South-West chapter on the inability of the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus.

Oyelese said if the national chairman of the party had called Makinde and Fayose to resolve the crisis, the embarrassing situation would have been averted.

“My expectation is by now, the national body, especially the national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, should have cautioned the two of them. The crisis between Governor Seyi Makinde and Ayo Fayose, shouldn’t have been allowed to get to this level.”