Sixteen Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ekiti State have declared their support for the
indefinite suspension slammed on former governor, Dr. Ayo Fayose and others over their alleged roles in the violent attack on the party Exco members two weeks ago, urging the national leadership of the party to start the due process of affirming his (Fayose) suspension.
Rising from their inaugural meeting yesterday, the aspirants in a communique issued after the meeting, also said that Consensus arrangement would produce a quality and marketable candidate with wide acceptability, hence their support for the advice by President Goodluck Jonathan that consensus process be used to select the 2014 governorship candidate of the PDP in Ekiti State.
The aspirants are; Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), Senator Ayo Arise, Hon. Aribisala Adewale, Otunba O. O. Akerele, Prof. Adesegun Ojo, Amb. Dare Bejide, Rt. Hon. Femi Bamisile, Rt. Hon. Odeyemi Tunji and Prince Dayo Adeyeye.
Others are; Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, Chief Obafemi Peters, Hon. Ropo Ogunbolude, Pharm. Bimbo Owolabi and Dr. Kunle Afolayan.
The 8-points communique read; “We support the decision of Mr. President on using the consensus process of selecting the 2014 governorship candidate of our great State.
“Another congress in the form of primary to pick the gubernatorial candidate will compound the disunity within the party and produce more factions, which will be difficult to reconcile, making it impossible to go to 2014 election with a united party therefore making it impossible for our party to win the election.
“Consensus arrangement will produce a quality and marketable candidate with wide acceptability.
“Unlike primary election, consensus is more efficient and brings greater harmony and cooperation, and it is impossible for a minority group to gang-up to force their choice on the larger people as the candidate.
“We support the process put in place by the State Executive of our great party to initiate the consensus process.
“We reaffirm our support for the State Chairman and the CWC, and pass a vote of confidence on them.
“We condemn the acts of violence by some members of our party and agree with the decision of the State Executive to suspend the perpetrators.
“We expect the National leadership of our great party to also start the due process of affirming the suspension of Dr. Ayo Fayose.
“Any act of violence, such as arson, infliction of bodily harm, destruction of property and attempted murder should not be handled with levity. The national leadership of our great party must take immediate steps to sanction offenders so as to prevent a reoccurrence and to serve as deterrence to others.
“We state that Dr. Ayo Fayose is an electoral liability and of questionable character and cannot under any circumstance be a candidate for an election in Ekiti State. He is unmarketable, unmanageable and unelectable, as a result of on-going EFCC Court case on money laundering and embezzlement, unchallenged impeachment, murder charges still pending with the police and his inability to win any election in Ekiti State since he left office.
“Dr. Ayo Fayose has defected from several political parties – PDP to ANPP to PPA to ACN to Labour Party and back to PDP. He was expelled from all these parties. Therefore, this poses great question on his electability and popularity?
“Apart from the ACN government in the State, which has demonstrated high level of political intolerance, the federal government must also hold Dr. Ayo Fayose and his ilks responsible for any violence or assassination of any PDP member in Ekiti State.”