Less
than 48 hours after saying he was waiting on God for the choice of his
successor, Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose may have settled for his deputy,
Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as his successor.
Stakeholders
in the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including party leaders,
political office holders and supporters of Fayose, yesterday adopted Olusola as
“the sole candidate” for the 2018 governorship poll.
At
a meeting at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the
governor’s loyalists said adopting Olusola as the “PDP sole candidate” did not
preclude other aspirants from competing for the party’s ticket at the primary.
Olusola,
who was recently appointed Professor of Building Technology by Obafemi Awolowo
University (OAU) at Ile-Ife in Osun State, hails from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti
South.
His
adoption may have ended the governorship ambition of Senate Deputy Minority
Whip Abiodun Olujimi; PDP’s national spokesman Dayo Adeyeye; former Deputy
Governor Sikiru Lawal; former High Commissioner in Canada Dare Bejide and
former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Owoseni Ajayi.
Olujimi
and Adeyeye have resisted Fayose’s insistence that they drop their ambition.
Party
sources said Fayose anointed Olusola after receiving a field report that his
preferred candidate and former Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kayode Oso, “may not
be sellable” to the electorate.
One
of the sources said the governor briefed prominent indigenes of Ado-Ekiti,
Oso’s hometown, including a prominent lawyer and a traditional ruler, at a
meeting Tuesday night.
The
source added that Fayose called a stakeholders’ meeting where he announced his
decision to endorse Olusola.
The
meeting was said to have been attended by 177 councillors, 177 ward chairmen,
16 local government party chairmen, 16 local council chairmen, chairmen and
members of boards and corporations.
Others
at the meeting include State Executive Council (Exco) members, House of
Assembly members, serving and former members of PDP State Working Committee
(SWC) and the ex-deputy governor.
A
communique issued at the end of the meeting reads: “After due consultation,
without prejudice to provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), we
formally endorse Prof Kolapo Olusola (the current deputy governor), from Ekiti
South Senatorial District, as our preferred aspirant/candidate.”
Those
who signed the communique are: Anifowose Mustapha (for councillors), Alhaji
Amuda Sunmonu (for ward chairmen), Femi Bamisile (for local government party
chairmen), Dapo Olagunju (for local government chairmen, ALGON) and Senator
Bode Ola (for chairmen of boards and corporations).
Others
are: Dr Modupe Alade, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, (for State
Executive Council, Exco), Kolawole Oluwawole, House of Assembly Speaker and
PDP’s State Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase.
After
Olusola’s adoption, Oguntuase said the party’s organs would abide by the
decision of the stakeholders in the interest of the party and people of Ekiti
State.
The
party chairman noted that the adoption will not preclude any member of the
party interested in the governorship from contesting.
He
pledged that an open and transparent primary will be held in accordance with
party rules. Chairman, Forum of Ward Chairmen, Alhaji Amuda Sunmonu, hailed the
decision, adding: “Wherever Governor Fayose goes, we will follow him.”
Mustapha
said the 177 councillors supported the governor and “the decision of the party
stakeholders remained binding on us”.
Dr
Alade described Olusola as “a competent and loyal member of the Fayose
political family”.
She
added that his adoption was a reward for loyalty, dedication and commitment.
Tags
Politics