By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has held a stakeholders’ meeting to straighten all thorny issues,ahead of the party’s congresses.
The last time PDP produced a governor of the state was in 2018 when Ayo Fayose completed his tenure.
Since then, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been in power with the incumbent being Gov. Biodun Oyebanji, who took office in 2022.
The stakeholders’ meeting held at the state party secretariat in Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, South-West Nigeria.
It was attended by most of the prominent party leaders across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of state, among whom were the Caretaker Committee (CTC) chairman, Chief Dare Adeleke; CTC members; and governorship aspirants Otunba Peter Olugbemiga Obafemi, Chief Wole Oluyede and Senator Duro Faseyi.
Others were Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, Hon.(Pastor) Kola Oluwawole; a former zonal chairman of the party, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe; and a former Board of Trustees (BOT) member, Hon. Ojo Oke.
Also present were Professor Adesegun Ojo, a former governorship aspirant in 2007; former Ado-Ekiti LG chairman and a former deputy governorship candidate of the party in the state, Deji Ogunsakin.
At the meeting, Otunba Obafemi was represented by the Director General (DG) of his campaign organisation, Mr. Kunle Ogunjobi, who disclosed that the frontline politician spoke with him and Hon. Adeleke on phone to send his support for resolution of all disputes.
A former Commissioner for Works in Ekiti State and immediate-past state secretary of the party, Mrs. Funmilayo T. Oguns; brother to former Governor Ayo Fayose, Emmanuel, who is also contesting for the governorship seat; Mr. Sunday Olowolafe, and other prominent party leaders were at the meeting.
Ogunsakin, who moderated the meeting, said it was organized to clear the doubts and misinformation by “some rumour mongers about the affairs of the party at the national and Ekiti State levels in relation to the party’s congress.”
He emphasized that adequate security had been put around the party secretariat.
Dare Adeleke had, in his opening speech, thanked the party members for their loyalty and steadfastness, while frowning at activities of some party leaders who “are PDP during the day and APC at night.”
He insisted that the party was waxing stronger at the national and state levels despite challenges, adding that the position of the party to have consensus arrangement for Ekiti State congress was well thought out.
He reiterated that the list of executives in the 177 wards and LG had been submitted by the ward and LG leaders, pointing out that the forthcoming congress was to ratify the available lists.
While also speaking, Chief Ogundipe pointed out that the current CTC at the LG and ward levels were not doing enough for the party, reminding the meeting that the tenure of the LG CTCs had long expired.
He said they could either renew their term or set up another LG CTC to take over.
Hon. Oluwawole, in his own remark, asked the CTC chairman, Adeleke, to appoint another set of people who would be willing to champion the cause of the party at all times.
Adeleke informed the leaders that the LG CTCs would be constituted “with full consultation with the local government leaders.”
