Governor Ayodele Fayose on Friday explained why he supported the emergence of his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka as the consensus candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state for next year’s governorship election.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Olusola emerged from the list of strong contenders for the governorship ticket as the “most preferred candidate” at a meeting held by party faithfuls in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the decision to support Olusola as the consensus candidate of the party was met with wide condemnations as other governorship candidates distanced themselves from the action.
Leading the pack in condemning the selection of Olusola as consensus candidate of the party is the Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, also a governorship candidate.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that political pundits in the state reminded the incumbent, Fayose of his statement in 2014 when promised the politicians in the state that neither him nor his deputy would seek any other political office as soon as their tenure expires in 2018.
He had said, “I have taken one [oath] and I will take another one in October. After that, I will find my way to my house. Again, I have chosen a deputy governor and I have told him from the beginning that the two of us will pack our load and leave the Government House because I don’t want a deputy that will start playing politics behind me when we are in government and will be distracting me, I don’t want that again.
“So, he is practically here for me to look after certain things and ensure that we succeed. When I am going, I will hold his hand and say bye to Ekiti people.”
On why he changed his mind by adopting Olusola, Fayose said man proposes, but God disposes, but that this did not mean that there wouldn’t be any primary in the state.
He said the deputy governor would compete with others in the party’s primary.
He also said that his deputy had demonstrated good character, adding that he had always allowed God’s will to be done in every situation.
The governor further said other aspirants should not be afraid of his support for his deputy since there would be primary election.
He said, “Man proposes, God disposes. Sometimes, you wish some [people] as girlfriend, but they become your wife as perfection, judgment and finality are exclusively of God. The young man is outstanding in character.
“Above all, constitutionally, my deputy is at liberty to run [for election] and I am at liberty to support anyone of my choice. Above all, other aspirants have nothing to fear if they have capacity to defeat him [Olusola] as the primary election is ahead.
“If my support was for them, they would not complain. Rather, they would be celebrating it by now. Most of the aspirants complaining made a success of their political career through God’s grace and by my humble self. They never complained when they were rising at the expense of others.
“The adoption [of Olusola] does not mean there will be no primary. Even for sole candidates, there must be a no or yes answer, so the primary must hold.”
