Fayose will not change!

There is growing crisis over alleged plot by the Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to impose candidates for the State and National Assembly elections. It was learnt that the Governor had prepared a list of 26 candidates for the state assembly which are to emerge through a congress that predetermined delegates would participate in. A former Senate member and member of Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Ayo Arise, who raised the allegation at a press conference on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, said the Governor had been acting as if he was possessed by demons. He warned that there might be protest votes from members in the 2015 general elections which might consumed the party in the state if not addressed. Among the aggrieved aspirants at the briefing were a former Speaker of the Assembly, Sola Ajigbolamu; Ayo Ogunsakin, Prince Dayo Adeleye and Wole Ayeni. Arise, who has expressed interest to represent Ekiti North Senatorial District, accused Fayose of doctoring the list of delegates that would participate in the Saturday’s congress where three adhoc staff would be selected for the 177 wards. The adhoc staff would eventually elect candidates that would fly the party’s flags for the National and State Assembly elections in 2015. Arise said, “As soon as he (Fayose) took over power, it was as if some demons have just entered him afresh. I don’t know what exactly is going on. Why do we need to start problems in less than two weeks. I have told him I am no longer his friend. I cannot allow one man to destroy this party before it takes off. We worked hard, we spoke to people and ensured he won.” Among the aspirants at the briefing were a former Speaker of the Assembly, Sola Ajigbolamu, Ayo Ogunsakin, Prince Dayo Adeleye and Wole Ayeni. But absolving Fayose of wrongdoing, his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said the Governor had not reneged from his earlier stand, which was free and fair primaries. He said : “Everybody in the party will stand for primaries where the delegates will choose who will represent them. To be a candidate of the Governor does not exclude you from the primaries. He does not have approved list of delegates. Nobody will be treated as sacred cow. “Senator Ayo Arise is a leader of the party. If he feels aggrieved or noticed that something is wrong from what he expects, he should meet with the Governor or resort to party mechanism rather than going to the press. “He is a leader of the party, who Fayose has respect for and will never do anything injurious to. I want to assure everyone that only those that emerge through the primaries will be given the tickets,” Adelusi added. Arise warned that if the situation was not addressed, there might be protest votes against PDP in Ekiti at the next general elections.