Former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He disclosed that he was joining the APC alongside his political structure, the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) in all the 16 local government areas.
Adeyeye said he was joining the APC to allign forces with other eminent Ekiti sons and daughters to free the state from the vulture and predator feeding fat on the state’s commonwealth.
The former Minister of State for Works pledged to work for the victory of the APC governorship flag bearer, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to give good governance to the people of the state.
He urged the people of Ekiti to repose confidence and trust in Fayemi and ignore the allegation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) camp that the APC flag bearer was coming back to power on revenge mission.
According to him, he was not joining the APC to grab the deputy governorship ticket saying Fayemi would soon unveil the identity of his running mate.
He pointed out that by his decision to move to the APC alongside his supporters, he was saying no to Fayose’s “continuity of impunity, imposition, poverty and unprecedented looting of the people’s common patrimony.”
Adeyeye addressed a news conference on Tuesday at his Ado-Ekiti residence was flanked by his wife, Princess Adetomilola, and two former aides of Governor Ayo Fayose, Alhaji Ademola Bello and Mr. Deji Adesua.
Bello who resigned two weeks ago from Fayose’s cabinet served as Special Adviser on Cultural Matters while Adesua was Commissioner for Public Utilities.
Adeyeye, who also served as PDP National Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, lost the governorship primary to Fayose’s preferred successor, Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola.
Olusola won the primary with 1,191 votes while Adeyeye polled 771.
Adeyeye alleged that Fayose’s order that delegates should wear “aso ebi” to the shadow poll and the governor’s personal monitoring of votes at the exercise swung the pendulum of victory in Olusola’s favour.
The ex-minister who hails from Ise-Ekiti in Ekiti South senatorial district served as the National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Egbe Afenifere, and also served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
He left the progressives fold in December 2006 when he contested in the Action Congress (AC) governorship primary won by Fayemi alleging the exercise was marred by irregularities.
The politician, who was a journalist and lawyer, joined the PDP and was made State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman by former Governor Segun Oni before he was later appointed Minister of State for Works by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shortly after the primary that produced Olusola as winner, Adeyeye vowed not to work for Fayose’s continuity agenda which he said was not in the interest of Ekiti people.
Addressing reporters at Tuesday’s briefing, Adeyeye said he would not allow party loyalty to becloud his patriotic zeal for collective interest and future of Ekiti people.
Adeyeye said: “Gentlemen of the press, you will recall that I addressed you two days after the PDP Governorship primary in Ekiti State and I stated on that occasion that I was leaving the PDP.
“Leaving the PDP was not an easy decision to make. That was a party to which I have rendered invaluable service at the most trying period of its history.
“Expectedly patriotic leaders of the party appealed to me to reconsider my decision in the light of my previous services and loyalty to the party.
“But the issue was never about me as a person. It was about the interest of the very many people who associate with me and more importantly the collective interest and future of Ekiti people.
“For me politics has always been an opportunity to serve and make contribution towards the development of my community and the nation.
“Therefore where I am compelled to make a choice between loyalty to a political party and loyalty to my community, l will readily choose my community or state.
“Political parties come and go but the community remains. I cannot change my state or hometown but I can always change my party if I feel that it can no longer serve as a vehicle for our collective good as a people.
“As a thoroughbred Ekiti person with a deep love of this land and the people It is incumbent on me to resist and stop the evil agenda of one man to put our people in perpetual enslavement.”
He added: “I have said No to Fayose’s continuity of dictatorship, impunity, imposition, poverty, unprecedented looting of our common patrimony and deliberate debasement of the self esteem of our people.
“For my friends, admirers, patrons and well wishers, I want to reiterate that Fayose is an impossible person to deal with.
“A pompous martinet with a huge ego, he is deliberately divisive and deceitful. He does not believe in reconciliation and no effort at reconciliation will work with him.
“Therefore after deep introspection and wide consultation with various stakeholders in this State, my supporters and I have decided to leave Egypt which the Fayose administration represents and join hands with patriotic Ekiti people to board the train of the APC for the onward journey to our promised land.
“We are joining forces with eminent Ekiti sons and daughters to free our land from the vulture and predator feeding fat on our commonwealth.
“We want to set our land free and never again shall we entrust our land unto the hands of unknown person with unverifiable pedigree to ride roughshod on our people.
“We have assurances of Dr. Kayode Fayemi the APC candidate that he has come to right the wrong of the past and not on a vengeance mission as being touted by Fayose and his cohorts.
“He is now better equipped, well focused and better prepared to move Ekiti forward. Let’s join hands with him in the collective mission to rescue our dear State from the greedy predator in this hour of our greatest need. This is a call to duty for all patriotic Ekiti sons and daughters.
“My supporters, associates, PAAM and I have finally resolved to join APC with effect from today 29th May in the celebration of democracy day that some of us fought gallantly to achieve from the military.”
