Ekiti PDP Crisis Latest: State Chairman, Senatorial Chairmen, Legal Adviser, Other State Officers Shun Primary Election

Crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got messier last night as the State Chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, six other State officers, Ex-Officio members and Assistant State Officers, vowed not to participate in today primary election.

This is also as 13 out of the 14 governorship aspirants will not participate in the exercise, leaving it to Mr Ayodele Fayose as the only aspirant that will take part.

The three Senatorial Chairmen; Hon Tunde Olatunde (North); Hon Femi Ogunleye (Central) and Alhaji Gani Bankole (South) as well as the State Legal Adviser; Hon Kola Adefemi, Financial Secretary; Mr Akutupu and Auditor; Tunji Olarewaju met yesterday and decided to boycott the primary.

The State Chairman had in a press statement yesterday, faulted the party's Ward Congresses held on Wednesday; saying 'Election materials never reached the five of the sixteen local governments, but unfortunately there were results returned for the councils.'

Source also disclosed that Ogundipe had written a memo to the party National Organising Secretary to state his position on the controversial ward congresses.

Another source told LEREOLAYINKA.COM that spirited efforts were made by the Chairman of the Committee sent from Abuja to conduct the Primary, Dr Peter Odili to persuade Ogundipe to participate in the exercise but he refused.

'They know the implication of the State Chairman not participating in the kangaroo primary and they made efforts to get him to change his mind so as to avoid the credibility aspersion his absence would cast on the exercise, but the Chairman insisted that the primary should not be held,' a source said.

As at the time of filing this report, Ogundipe's two telephone lines had been switched off, with multiple sources saying that he had traveled out of Ado-Ekiti.

In his statement yesterday, Ogundipe said; 'the state Exco directed each ward to present two credible members per ward who would be swapped, with other ward as ward electoral officers.

'Also, each local council was directed to present two credible members per local government who would be swapped, with other local councils as Returning officers.

'The state assisting electoral officers committee that was to be chosen, however rejected by State secretary and Organisation secretary.

'All the wards and local governments had been given the ward congress officers as approved by the state Exco.

'The fake and illegal so-called LGs Returning officers collected the materials and went away to unkown destinations.

'The Local Government involved in the fraud are: Ekiti South West, Ekiti West, Emure, Ise/Orun, Ado and Gbonyin.

'Election material never reached the aforementioned local governments, but unfortunately there were results returned for the LGs.

'As at today, the result of the Congress is not available either at the Party secretariat or with the security agents.

'However, I was amazed to hear that results of 15 LGs were compiled by the Committee from Abuja.

'Where they got the results of 15 LGs, including 4 where materials did not get to, only the committee members can explain.

'As at today, I as the State Party Chairman do not have the list of delegates to used for the Primary.

'I am also not aware of the decision of the Appeal Panel, which listened to complaints from almost all the LGs yesterday.

'Therefore, it is difficult for anyone to guarantee a free and fair primary election in Ekiti State under this circumstances.'

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