THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Ekiti State scheduled for January 26 is to be conducted with statutory/automatic delegates.
The party’s governorship candidate for the June 18 gubernatorial poll will be elected during the primary election.
Statutory or automatic delegates comprise former governors, former and serving members of the National Assembly and former and serving members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the state who are still members of the party, including former state party officials.
The decision to conduct the primary election with statutory/automatic delegates follows the nullification of ward delegate congresses held in the state on January 15.
The decision was taken at a meeting between Ekiti PDP stakeholders and the party’s national leadership in Abuja on January 24.
The meeting was convened to resolve the crisis rocking the PDP in Ekiti State in the build-up to the primary election.
The PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu announced resolutions reached at the stakeholders’ meeting.
“The 3-man ad-hoc ward delegate congresses in Ekiti State held on 15th January 15, 2022, is hereby nullified.
“The party’s governorship primary election shall be conducted using the statutory/automatic delegate list.”
It was also agreed at the meeting that all pending court cases relating to the congresses in Ekiti State must be withdrawn immediately.
Party members who refused to withdraw court cases on the matter would be dragged before a disciplinary panel.
Ayu further disclosed that all the governorship aspirants and stakeholders agreed to abide by the decisions arrived at the meeting.
The PDP national leadership, on its part, promised a free, fair, transparent and credible governorship primary election.
* Oni, Olujimi, other aspirants rejected ward congresses, Fayose accused of hijacking process
The crisis in the Ekiti chapter of the PDP had deepened after some governorship aspirants rejected the January 15 ward congresses conducted to elect delegates for the primary election.
Three delegates were elected in each of the 177 wards in the state.
But governorship aspirants including a former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni; the Senator representing Ekiti South Biodun Olujimi; a former Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola and a former National Treasurer of the PDP Wale Aribisala rejected the congress, describing it as a charade.
They alleged that the congress was compromised in favour of the group loyal to a former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.
The aspirants also alleged that materials for the ward congress were hijacked by Fayose’s camp.
Fayose, who is backing a former Ekiti State PDP chairman Bisi Kolawole for the party’s governorship ticket, has denied the allegations.
He said Oni, Olujimi and the other aspirants were jittery over his support for Kolawole.
Culled from ICIR
