Chief Dare Adeleke is the Caretaker Committee Chairman for the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with TAIWO ADISA, he talks about the state of the party, its relationship with former Governor Ayo Fayose and the determination of the stakeholders to reposition the party ahead of the next governorship election in 2026. Excerpts:
You are the Caretaker Chairman of Ekiti State PDP. Right now, the party appears to be in disarray, especially after former Governor Ayo Fayose had gone ahead to endorse the incumbent for second term. Is there any hope for redemption?
It is obvious that the view you reiterated is from the perception of people who are not in Ekiti State. Ekiti is a PDP State for the simple fact that we have produced at least three governorship terms. So, when you look at it very well, you will know that PDP is entrenched in Ekiti State. Former Governor Ayo Fayose may have aligned with Governor Biodun Oyebanji, but it does not mean PDP has gone under the shadow of itself. The truth of the matter is that it is the same Fayose that created all this hullabaloo and we are trying to put things in proper shape. That’s Fayose’s democracy, it is so funny to me because you are in a particular party and still supporting another party. And this is a party that gave him two terms. What I kept asking myself is that he was governor first term and more or less impeached then. The party, being magnanimous enough, still gave him second term, believing that he will show remorse. Before then, he contested under the Labour Party to become a Senator and lost woefully. He worked against Segun Oni too but Oni won. The same person is now taking the steps he made towards Oyebanji.
I believe that the PDP governments left the state in better condition compared to what they have now. Ekiti is a state everybody calls Fountain of Knowledge but you can compare the rating in WAEC, NECO and the health system and see what you have.
So you are saying that the PDP in Ekiti is not dead?
Yes, it is not dead but waxing stronger. All the leaders and stakeholders are now coming together; they are now singing the same song, which shows that we are now moving from the dead end to a new lease of life. We are trying to establish a versatile and cohesive congress where all the leaders will speak in unison. What we are planning to do is to have consensus arrangement so that there won’t be any issue of faction, shortchanging and things like that. And I thank God people are listening to us and we are moving to that stage.
So, you are sure that by the time election will be up by 2026 and 2027, PDP will be able to give Ekiti APC a run for its money?
There is no doubt about that. As a matter of fact, before we got to that stage, the government of Ekiti State and the governor of Ekiti State are even jittery because they have seen that the people and the PDP in the state are getting back on their feet and that’s a sign they will favour the PDP come 2026.
With or without Fayose?
Fayose is not even a factor to what we are talking about. Bringing Fayose to Ekiti PDP now, he will disrupt the arrangement. He does not have what it takes to win for us. He does not even have what it takes to win for himself. Don’t forget that Fayose sponsored Prof Eleka, and he lost woefully. Fayose sponsored Bisi Kolawole and he lost. So, bringing him into what we are doing now will give us negative result.
Looking at your stewardship in Oyo State, you were chairman of Pacesetter Transport Service (PTS) during your tenure, some people felt that they didn’t see the visibility of the transport service unlike the days of TCTC, under the military. What really happened?
I won’t agree with that. We really tried our best just the way Governor Seyi Makinde put in his best, especially on the purchase of 65 buses which he injected into the system. The two-third of the buses we met on ground actually were scrap. We tried our best for the state and that is why people were commending my tenure when I was the Chairman. It was during our time that we brought in new buses and people saw the impact of those buses at every nook and cranny of Ibadan, especially the people traveling here and there. If you remember, the time I came in was when we had COVID-19 pandemic, cash crunch and other things like that. Yet, I can tell you that Governor Makinde did his best for us and we had the best time.
Looking at the PDP as a party, are you impressed with the level of opposition the party is offering at the national level?
No doubt, we have not given a vibrant opposition and things are not the way they are supposed to be. When you look at this time and circumstances, it’s so strange to me in politics that people in one party take appointments in another party and it is not like there is a government of national unity. I can say that the people at the national level of the party are doing their best but their best may not be good enough so far. I saw many things at the PDP NEC meeting in Abuja. When they invited the chairman, he revealed many things and I don’t want to talk about certain things. But the problem we are having in the PDP is within the PDP. Because if the PDP, as a party, decided to carry its cross, it won’t be as heavier as someone else trying to carry it for them. So, they are doing their best but that may not be to our satisfaction for now.
Chief Bode George said recently that the acting national chairman should not spend the tenure of the removed Dr. Iyiorcha Ayu, who is from the North Central because he is from another zone. But the party has been unable to hold its NEC. What do you say to that?
Chief Bode George’s view is based on constitutional provision. And when you look at those views, you would agree with him that he is a veteran in this game. So, he knows what he is saying very well and he has served the party meritoriously. But when you look at the tradition, you would discover that the acting national chairman has not said he won’t leave. Don’t forget that Ayu withdrew his case not quite long but the North Central people who are looking for the chairmanship, are they ready? They have not brought one candidate forward from the zone. Remember that the NEC is not for election, but for selection. If the North Central people are coming, they should speak with one voice and come in with one person.
The way the crises in the PDP are dragging, don’t you think it will get to a point when you will start losing top leaders? You just lost a Rep member?
I don’t think so. You know we are not having election until 2027. Of course, when you look at the recent ones that were held in Ondo and Edo States, it was daylight robbery. I was watching TV recently where Osita Chidoka, who has left the PDP, was talking as an electoral analyst and analyzing the election but Kassim Afegbua, who was defending the APC was talking like a jester. We need to listen to Chidoka so that we can prevent future occurrence. The problem about us in Nigeria is that we will be criticizing something we should not criticize. Was it not the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that admitted that the election that produced him was flawed? Even though the PDP won the election. That was a man of honour. He admitted as the President that something was wrong during the election and he didn’t mince his words when he said so. When you look at it from that angle, you will know that the party should not be that worried because we still have men of honour in our midst. We will get it right as a party, I believe that should be by February. By the time we get it right, then we can move.
As for the election in Ondo State, maybe we lost it because we didn’t prepare very well. And some of the stakeholders and actors in the party like former Governor Mimiko didn’t support the candidate of the party. And some of our party leaders kept mute as if nothing was going on. That was very unfortunate. We will have a meeting soon and I will raise this issue of election management, to say that this particular attitude towards election should be changed.
Talking about elections, and the constant squabbles that follow each election circle, is the PDP proposing some electoral reforms?
We know that whatever reforms we have so far in Nigeria, the PDP brought it. Every good thing came from the PDP but time won’t permit me to start counting. Was it not the same President Buhari who declined assent when they wanted him to sign the amended Electoral Act? Now, President Bola Tinubu got there and we know all the issues that came up during his election. I hope that this government will try as much as possible to institute some reforms and build that reputation for the judiciary as we need it. Let the Judiciary be independent. They should not entice them with land, housing and all that. They should leave them alone.
Where do you hope to leave the PDP in Ekiti State at the end of your tenure?
I want the party to stand the test of time. The party that people would have trust in; a party that will move into the Government House come 2026. I want to use this opportunity to thank the leaders as they have been together. The likes of Senator Duro Faseyi, Senator Biodun Olujimi and virtually all the former House of Representatives members, former Speakers too. We held a stakeholders’ meeting recently and all of us spoke in the same voice, saying that it was high time that they worked towards the goal and the people of Ekiti State are yearning for change.
The national chairman of the APC, Ganduje, has said that his party was set to take over Osun and Oyo States. How prepared are you for the Tsunami?
What do you expect from him? Let them try it. Whatever we have decided in Oyo and Osun is what we will do because the people believe in the party and we are doing the right thing for the people. Look at Osun State governor and his midas touches in all the nooks and crannies of the state. That is exactly what Governor Makinde is also doing in Oyo State. You remember the light-up project he has done; the roads and all the things he is currently doing. He is trying to do his best and we just want him to continue with that. There is strictly no room for the APC in the two States.
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