Ahead of the forthcoming congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state, some leaders and stakeholders within the party have vowed to resist attempts by some groups and individuals to hijack the party’s structures for their selfish and personal interests.
The stakeholders during an expanded meeting held at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, attended by leaders and members across the 16 local government areas of the state said that members of the party have been sensitised on the need to embrace peace and be united for a successful ward, local government and state congresses.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, a former state chairman of the party, Gboyega Oguntunwase, maintained that leaders resolved at the meeting not to allow a former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, to hijack the congresses and sabotage the party in the state.
He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is doing everything possible to sponsor individuals to take over the PDP and scuttle the chances of the party in the 2026 governorship election.
According to him, the leaders have unanimously endorsed a businessman and senatorial candidate of the party in the 2023 general election for Ekiti North, Funso Ayeni, to be the consensus state chairman during the congress.
Oguntunwase said, “The meeting is for members across the 16 LGAs in the state; discussing and mapping out strategies on how we can stop some people from sabotaging Ekiti PDP and there is a consensus if PDP must be saved from those dealing with the party recklessly and without integrity, the only way is to adopt a chairman who has interest of the party.
“It is so clear that former governor, betrayed the party in the last elections in the state and he is unapologetic about those decisions and those things are elements of sabotage and we must stop those people from hijacking the party going forward.
“If truly we want to rescue the party, we must have a consensus on a chairman with integrity, who is vibrant and young ; who will not sell out the party and they have spoken that Funsho Ayeni should be picked.
“But we are not going to stop at that, especially some few leaders who are not on the same page with us on the basis of zoning, we will discuss with them that what is important now is to get viable chairman who will be able to stand on his own and will not compromise at the point of intimidation.
“So, after getting the governorship back to the PDP in 2026, then we can of course start zoning but zoning without the governorship seat, we mean nothing.”
Responding, Ayeni commended the stakeholders for their decisions to endorse him for the state chairmanship position, assuring them that when elected, he would unite the party and make it formidable towards capturing power in the 2026 governorship election.
He called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to be wary of the antics of the former governor, adding that members of the party would no longer tolerate his anti-party activities going forward.
“This is a man who has gone on the media that he is supporting the APC and governor Biodun Oyebanji for a second term and someone said he is calling for unity of PDP, what type of unity is that?
“Let’s send this message to the NWC that these people who have sold the party should not be trusted with the structures ahead of the congress,” he said.
. TheWitness
