The Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected plan by former Governor Ayodele Fayose and some elders in the party to pick a consensus candidate ahead of the forthcoming congress in the state slated for April 2, 2020.
It was gathered that Fayose’s camp was making an arrangement to scheme in favour of annointed chairmanship candidate, Bisi Kolawole to emerge a consensus candidate to take over the party’s structure ahead of the 2022 governorship election in the state.
PDP has for some time been polarised over leadership issue between Fayose and Olujimi.
The Oguntuase-led SWC, in a statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Jackson Adebayo, said the plan was ill-motivated and ill-conceived, describing it as unacceptable.
Fayose and his loyalists were said to have met on February 21, 2020 at the residence of one of the party’s leaders, Senator Clement Awoyelu in Ado-Ekiti, where the arrangement of a consensus chairmanship candidate was conceived.
However, the party dissociated itself from the outcome of the consensus arrangements, reiterating its commitment to free, fair and transparent congress where all officers of the party would be elected in consonance with the party’s constitution.
The opposition PDP cautioned leaders from engaging in meetings that cause confusion disharmony among its members, saying any member supporting consensus candidates doesn’t want the party to survive its current travail caused by alleged impunity of the ex-governor.
“It is imperative to correct the erroneous impression that the meeting was called on behalf of the Oguntuase-led SWC. The party leadership was unaware of any meeting where consensus plan was muted in respect to the forthcoming congress.
“The idea remains the personal idea of its convener Ayodele Fayose and not the position of the party. PDP is committed to free, fair and credible congress that would not in anyway negate the principle of internal democracy and party’s constitution.
“We must categorically that consensus is not an option for the party,” it said.
The party cautioned party members to desist from joining Fayose to engage in activities capable of sinking the party and make it unable to win future elections.
It, however, urged candidates seeking elective positions in the party to jettison consensus plan and concentrate on mobilising delegates for support.