The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ekiti State, has called on the senator representing the Ekiti South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi, to demonstrate sincere concern for reconciliation within the party by putting an end to litigation .
The State Working Committee of the party made this statement, on Monday, after its monthly meeting saying, “We have all it will take to win the next year governorship election. Those who have conceded by reason of their underhand dealings with the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state will be disappointed.”
The state’s Publicity Secretary of the party, Raphael Adeyanju, was reacting to claim by Senator Olujimi that the party may lose the 2022 governorship election if the party’s national leadership fails to reconcile contending groups in the state.
He said “There is no political party without its own internal issues and we are yet to see leaders of other parties addressing the press and saying gleefully that their party will lose if their personal position is not foisted on the party.
“Let it also be made clear that PDP did not lose the 2018 election. Those presently holding power in Ekiti State know how they were rigged into power and the result is the mis-governance that can be since everywhere in the State.”
The PDP State Publicity Secretary said the party was constrained to respond to Sen. Olujimi, because of the need to let members and supporters of the party know that the fact that anyone or group lost out in the party congresses should not become reason for blackmail.
He said; “while reconciliation is important, we wonder how someone that is in court against the party over matters already decided by the lower court and court of appeal is asking the same party leadership for reconciliation. Court case? Reconciliation? what exactly do you want?
“Shouldn’t there be an end to litigation if truly you mean well for the party in Ekiti? After the South West Congress, the Dr Eddy Olafeso side that lost, conceded defeat. They did not go court to challenge the congress and they did not form parallel Exco against the decisions of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) as done in Ekiti.
“Meanwhile, in Senator Olujimi’s repositioning group, there are three governorship aspirants who are already reaching out to the party structure as approved by the NWC and NEC, and we are sure those aspirants in her group are not contesting to lose.
“We are also aware that Senator Olujimi is hiding under the Southern Agenda to further her own governorship ambition and it is her right to so do.”
Speaking further, Adeyanju pointed out that there was no political party that can please everybody, saying; “With all due respect to Senator Olujimi, if she has accepted failure on her part, those of us who genuinely love PDP and have no other party to go will work assiduously to ensure victory for the party.
“Most importantly, while we will continue to acknowledge the fact that everybody is important, we must point out that the ambition of any individual cannot become the yardstick for the party’s success in the 2022 and 2023 elections.
“No one is bigger than the party and those interested in contesting the 2022 governorship election as candidate of the party should be honest enough to declare their intention just like others.”