The Presidential Campaign Council(PCC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has expressed confidence that the former governor, Ayodele Fayose and his loyalists would work and support the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar during the February 25 election.
A former Acting governor of the state and PCC secretary, Rt Hon Tunji Odeyemi who spoke with newsmen at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti stated that the campaign committee is engaging all aggrieved leaders and members on the need to support the party and its candidates for the 2023 general election.
Odeyemi maintained that the former governor and his allies who rejected their appointment into the campaign council only protested against the composition of the campaign list and not against the candidate of Atiku and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
He disclosed for the fact that former governor’s son, Joju Fayose who is the party’s house of representatives candidate for Ekiti central constituency 1, would make it extremely difficult for him not to be committed to the election of the PDP presidential candidate ,to be held same day with that of the National Assembly.
According to the PCC scribe, the party is determined to galvanize and mobilize all interests within and outside the party in a bid to deliver resounding victory for the party in the state during the elections.
While lamenting the outcome of the last June 18 governorship election in the state, Odeyemi maintained that PDP over the years has proved to be the leading party in the state, adding that all issues affecting the unity of the party would be addressed before the elections.
He expressed optimism that the return of those who worked for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the last governorship poll would boost the chances of the PDP towards defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
Odeyemi said, ” Let me tell you and I know for a fact that those who rejected the compilation of the Presidential Campaign Council list for the state are not working against our candidate, Atiku Abubakar ; they only express reservations due to some reasons.
” These people who are mostly loyalists of former governor, Ayodele Fayose remain integral part of the party , including the former governorship candidate, Bisi Kolawole. We will continue to dialogue and talk to them on the need to embrace peace and unity.
” Don’t forget that Fayose’s son is contesting for House of Representatives same day with the presidential election and I hope you know what that means. He won’t work to undermine his biological son and he has not come out categorically to campaign against Atiku Abubakar.
” After the inauguration of the PCC members few weeks ago, we immediately set up various committees and one of these committees was saddle with the task of reconciling all aggrieved members. We have given the committee the task and they are achieving success in a bid to ensure everyone and groups work for the same purpose and goal to deliver victory for the PDP in Ekiti state.”
Speaking on the reintegration of the SDP members, the PCC secretary said, ” we all saw the results of the governorship election and how everything went especially the outcome vis-a-vis for PDP and SDP. The SDP and its candidate in that election left the PDP out of annoyance and if you add votes of the two parties, you will see that PDP is on ground.
” Ekiti is a PDP state and I don’t believe we lost the election in the real sense of it looking at the circumstances. We are working round the clock and be rest assured that PDP will perform better come February 25, we will score 80 percent of the votes in the presidential election.”
On the planned visit of Atiku to the state for the presidential campaign rally slated for January 17, Odeyemi noted that the party and the PCC are putting in place all arrangement for the success of the rally.
He advised residents of the state and members of the party to troop out en masse to welcome the PDP presidential candidate , who he said is prepared to provide solutions to security, economic and social challenges confronting the nation.
