The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti

  • Bloody day at Ekiti PDP secretariat

    •Members injured

    It was bloody yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, where two factions of the party clashed.

    Ajilosun, the area where the secretariat is located, was deserted. Motorists and pedestrians took cover for nearly 40 minutes, peeping from nearby houses and offices to catch a glimpse of the violence.

    As guns boomed, chairs, stones and broken bottles were freely used by the rampaging factions in a bizarre display of might. In the confusion, reporters ran for their dear lives.

    From afar, a man was seen pinned to the floor. He was attacked by seven men. When he regained freedom, he ran for his life.

    The victim was discovered to be the PDP state Legal Adviser and former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Kola Adefemi.

    It was learnt that another member, Mr. Olatunji Olanrewaju, who is the state Auditor of the PDP and two others also sustained injuries.

    Factions in the party have made issues out of zoning, consensus and conduct of ‘democratic primaries’ as a means of getting the party’s standard-bearer for the 2014 governorship elections.

    Between last week and now, opposing statements have been issued and press conferences held in respect of claims and counter-claims regarding how the party’s standard-bearer would emerge.

    The faction led by the state Chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, had been the butt of the latest attacks notably from the Ayo Fayose group and the Forum of Former PDP Local Government Chairmen led by Chief Diran Adeleye, for supporting “a consensus candidate option”.

    Chief Ogundipe set up an 11-man committee headed by retired Justice Edward Ojuolape to “select the consensus candidate based on the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

    Fayose and the group had in separate statements warned the Makanjuola-led faction to steer clear of the consensus moves, which they described as “unjust, illogical and insensitive to the popular agitations within the party.”

    The statement reads: “We insist on exercising our constitutional rights as automatic delegates in a free and fair primary election. We caution the Chairman against causing problems in PDP. We insist that Ekiti people must be allowed to select their standard-bearer. We will do everything to prevent the subjugation of the constitution in this case.”

    Yesterday, reporters were invited to the party secretariat by the Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr. Femi Bamisile and the state Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, to announce the suspension of Chief Ogundipe. But some thugs, believed to be loyal to those opposed to Ogundipe’s consensus moves, stormed the place.

    In a statement issued to the reporters and signed by six of the 14-member state party executives, Ogundipe was announced suspended for one month “over sundry offences to allow for full investigation of the allegations of corruption and bribery levelled against him.”

    The statement titled: ‘There is no Consensus Committee yet’, alleged that the state chairman had, among other offences, constituted a consensus committee without wide consultation. An attachment to the statement listed eight reasons why the consensus committee should be rejected.

    The statement directed Ogundipe’s deputy, Bamisile, to assume leadership, pending the conclusion of investigations by the committee set up to probe his (Ogundipe’s) activities.

    Those who signed the suspension included the Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko, Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, state Women’s Leader, Mrs. Busola Oyebode, Vice- Chairman, Central, Mr. Femi Ogunleye, state Organising Secretary, Alhaji Lateef Agbaje, state Treasurer,

    Aluko A.O. and state Youth Leader, Tayelolu Olatunji.

    Contacted on the phone, Chief Ogundipe, who was reportedly out of the state, said he was not aware of the press conference, adding: “No one took me into confidence before the conference was called.”

  • Police ban use of unregistered vehicle in Ekiti

    The Police Command in Ekiti said it has banned the use of unregistered vehicles in any part of the state.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, made the disclosure in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.

    According to him, it will no longer allow the use of unregistered vehicles in Ekiti and the ban is part of the command’s renewed strategy to check crime.

    Wakama decried the poor attitude of some of the residents to vehicle registration, adding that driving such vehicles was inimical to the owners and the passengers.

    “I wonder why people fail to realise that it is a criminal offence for anybody to drive an unregistered vehicle on the highway, not even police officers, are exempted from the law.

    “Henceforth, anyone caught flouting the law in this regard shall be made to face the law, no matter how lowly or highly placed,” he told NAN.

    The police commissioner said the command would not relent in its war against criminals.

     

  • Deputy Governor, party chair receive PDP defectors in Ekiti

    Deputy Governor, party chair receive PDP defectors in Ekiti

    SCORES of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State yesterday defected to the local chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    The defectors, led by Mr. Kingsley Ogunbolude, said they were impressed by the performance of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration, which they believed has delivered on its campaign promises.

    They were received by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu and the state Chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe. The duo led political office holders from the area and party chieftains to receive the defectors.

    The Deputy Governor hailed Ogunbolude for leading his supporters to the ACN.

    She assured that the party would not disappoint them, urging others in Emure Local Government to join the winning train.

    Prof. Adelabu, whose mother was from Oraye Quarters in Ise-Ekiti, enjoined the people not to disappoint her as their representative in the government.

    Ogunbolude said the invitation to join ACN was offered him by the Deputy Governor.

    His words: “The Fayemi administration is doing it right more than any government in the past. I have abandoned the politics of arrogance, which I played in the PDP for the politics of truth and development.”

    He urged his friends and political associates in the PDP not to hesitate to defect to the ACN, which he described as a progressive party.

    Ogunbolude pledged to cooperate with the party leaders and government to foster harmony for the development of the state.

    Awe, who presented the defectors to the Deputy Governor, warned leaders against division in the ACN fold, which he said remained indivisible.

    The party restated that the incumbent governor remained the choice of the party for the 2014 election based on the landmarks of his administration in the past two years.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ekiti deputy governor, Fayemi’s wife condole with Fajuyi’s family

    EKITI State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, and wife of the governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, were among the early callers at the home of the Military Governor of the defunct Western Nigeria, Col Adekunle Fajuyi, to commiserate with the family over the death of the Fajuyi matriarch, Eunice Ayodele Fajuyi.

    They were received by Mr. Femi Fajuyi, his wife, Lanre, and Mrs. Eunice Tomi-Lawson,

    The deputy governor described the demise of Mrs. Fajuyi as shocking

    She, however, said the deceased lived a fulfilled life, having held the forte since the death of her husband in July 1966.

    In a statement by Bunmi Ogunmodede, Special Adviser Media to the Deputy Governor, he quoted Prof Adelabu as saying: “The news of her death is shocking. The governor was planning to visit her ahead of the birthday anniversary. But we thank God for a life well-spent.”

     

  • Ownership society in Ekiti

    Ownership society in Ekiti

    The captivating story of how Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State is deeply committed to the development of the state is daily being told by everybody, particularly by rural dwellers in the state. The story is fascinating not just because the indigenes want to showcase mere political promises made to them by their governor. The truth is that the governor has vowed to ensure that the development of Ekiti is more evenly distributed so as to make the state a model place in the country.

    To make true this commitment, last week, the governor distributed N300 million worth of cheque to eighty-two communities to enable them undertake certain projects. Last year, as part of his rural development programme for the state, the governor held series of meetings with community leaders and their traditional rulers. The idea as canvassed by Governor Fayemi then was to use the representatives of the rural people for Self-help programme embarked upon by the state government.

    The essence was for the people to use the money to complete abandoned projects in their local places. Besides using the money to also provide boreholes and complete some road culverts to avert flood erosion in the future, the governor advised them to see the projects as their own. “We must ensure that the rural places work. The ideal thing therefore is that the essential infrastructural facilities have to be in place so that our people would feel the impact of democracy,” the governor said.

    He also assured that more money would be distributed shortly to other communities that have not received. With the grants-in-aids programme through which more developments are expected to spread to more places, the governor assured his people that more new projects would be put in place subsequently even in far rural settlements with high population density.

    Ekiti State has come to serve as a model state where rural development is given priority attention because the leadership has chosen to do so. It was to facilitate this decision that the government promptly established an appropriate and relevant ministry to carry the people along. Now, with the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment, the concept is to make concerted efforts to eradicate poverty and wipe away tears from the eyes of the poor rural folks.

    Fayemi’s unalloyed interest in the welfare of the rural people is part of what makes democracy tick and equally deepens people’s love towards what is good. The governor made that resolve clear when he told the mammoth crowd that gathered at Oye-Ekiti, for the ceremony that “As part of the efforts of the present administration to bring development to the rural communities where over 75 percent of the people reside, the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment was created in January.”

    It is evident that this ministry is meant essentially to serve the purpose of the people. Part of the promises of the government is to use this avenue to revive and shore up cooperative societies to reach out more effectively to the grassroots.

    With this, it is clear that more farm settlements will be established while many moribund ones rehabilitated to provide more jobs for the people. When completed, the state, no doubt, will serve as one of the food baskets of the nation.

    Adedoja Ibikunle, a retired teacher who turned up for the Oye-Ekiti ceremony, wondered aloud when he said: “when God wants to bless you, He does not need too much promises from your leader to do so. He does it in the simplest way possible. You can see the simplicity of the governor, his lovely gestures and the humble disposition of the people around him… This is gradually becoming the Ekiti of our dreams when it was created.”

    Ibikunle’s optimism truly represents the views of many Ekiti indigenes whose love for what is good have never been in doubt. Over the last few years, it is mainly children who spread the news most often. They take the news to the people, to their schools in different dramatic ways. This is what has livened up their otherwise drab lives, simply because they can feel the changes in their own parents who provide their daily needs. In essence, their rural areas are no longer drab, dull and dry. They can feel it and children do not spare a situation when it portends good omen for them and their folks.

    What with more funds to the tune of N3.2billion which will soon be disbursed through the same channel for agricultural developments and purposes, the government, is keen on providing more jobs for the youths. The provision of farmlands and settlements will also ensure that more rural roads are constructed to facilitate the movement of food crops from local places to the urban cities.

    The joy of most rural people in Ekiti State is that the government of Fayemi will leave the state far better than he found it. When the governor assumed office a few years ago, he made it point blank that Ekiti State would no longer be perceived as one of the most backward states in Nigeria. Using the meagre resources at hand, the governor has made the state far more better than he met it. People can now breath fresh air of freedom and progress.

    From the way he has been creating and sustaining big and mouthwatering projects in the state, one wonders whether it is an oil-producing state where there is excess money for projects. However, the Fayemi’s administration has made it obvious that no matter the amount of revenue generated by a state, a good leader can still use it for meaningful development and purposeful recreation.

    Leadership, in the real sense of it, does not consist of mere promises to hoodwink the people and win their votes. Leadership comes with total submission to the will and sentiments of the people. It is the electorate who should be in the position to sing the praises of their leader because they can feel the impact of what he has done.

    Today, Governor Fayemi doesn’t have to say it. All he has been doing to elevate the state are there for everyone to see. That’s why school children also sing his praises. They too can feel, see and enjoy the good things that happen in the state, things no one can conceal or deny or even sideline in any way.

    • Dada writes from Ado-Ekiti

  • Ekiti Reps’ caucus removes Bamidele over governorship ambition

     •Labour Party woos lawmaker

    The Ekiti caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday removed its Chairman, Mr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, following his ambition to run for governor.

    According to the lawmakers, Bamidele’s ambition is not in consonance with the position of their party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    Bamidele, who has declared his intention to contest the governorship poll next year, was replaced with Mr. Robison Ajiboye (Ekiti North 2 Federal Constituency).

    Reading a statement titled: ‘Time to set the records straight’ before reporters yesterday, the lawmakers said: “In the past six months, there has been the issue of one of our colleagues, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, also the leader of Ekiti State caucus of the House of Representatives and by extension the Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Budget.

    “Over this period, we, his colleagues have been inundated with enquiries by colleagues from other states, well-meaning Nigerians and our constituents on whose mandate we derive the legitimacy to remain in the House of Representatives, seeking to know what is going on about the hearsay that Bamidele is breaking ranks with what we represent and the ideals we share- loyalty to the cause and concern for the good people of Ekiti State championed on the platform of the ACN.

    “We have been guarded, careful and measured in our responses to allow interventions from our colleagues in the caucus, colleagues from other states and sincere interest groups within and outside to wade into the matter.

    “From the string of disrespectful positions of Bamidele, starting from the serial rebuff of well-informed advice of leaders of our party and leaders of thought manifesting in not honouring meetings and appointments convened by constituted authorities, formal and informal; which reached the zenith at the meeting called by the National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande on July 3.”

    The Ekiti lawmakers said Bamidele was invited like other major stakeholders, including National Assembly members, and that the lawmaker even confirmed that he would attend, but failed to attend and sent no representation or apology.

    They said: “Rather, what we read on the pages of newspapers are disparaging remarks, outbursts and denials. It is clear that Paul who used to speak with God has begun consultations with diviners, as attested to by the bunch of political jobbers and profiteers, who reports said attended a ragtag fly-by-night meeting-cum- declaration of his intention to contest the governorship election in 2014.”

    According to the lawmakers, Bamidele’s ambition is not only a distraction, but also portends retrogression for Ekiti State.

    “As earlier enumerated, to get the state and its people to this point has taken conscious and concerted hard work over the past three years, with sleeves rolled up, hands on the plough and this is not the time to allow or entertain distractions in any form, manner or way and indeed from anybody that would set us on a path of retrogression, which is what the ambition of Bamidele signifies at this time.”

    The members described Bamidele’s denial of the endorsement of Governor Kayode Fayemi by the ACN in December 2012 at Iyin Ekiti as being “limited in truth quotient.”

    This, they said, included the “denial of the clear position of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he did not advise him to respect the bigger picture, corporate interest and manifest endorsement of the Ekiti people on the basis of which Bamidele was informed to drop his ambition. The message was clear and simple enough.

    “It follows that since he does not feel too comfortable with the party, the most honourable thing to do is resign his position as the leader of the caucus, since we cannot be a caucus any more if our presumed leader has a different inclination and persuasion that run contrary to those of the other five members of the caucus. As democrats, one of the trite principles of democracy is that dissent of opinion is allowed, but the majority will always carry the day. In this case, Bamidele is in the minority.

    “It is in view of these reasons that we the undersigned members of the Ekiti State caucus of the House of Representatives feel obligated to inform the public that Bamidele is removed as the leader of the caucus and to convey this resolution to the leadership of the House that the chairmanship slot is immediately transferred to our new leader, Robinson Ajiboye, and the attendant post of Committee on Legislative Budget.”

    The statement was signed by the five members, which include Robison Ajiboye, who read the statement, Bamidele Faparusi, Bimbo Daramola, Ifeoluwa Arowosoge and Oyetunde Ojo.

    Reporters wanted to know why Bamidele was being denied the opportunity to run for the governorship in a democratic setting.

    Daramola responded:

    “It was never thought that a day like this will come, but now that we are faced with it, we have to find the best way to deal with it. What must be stressed is that the decision to arrive at where we are today was not hurriedly concluded as well as the fact that we came here (National Assembly) on a platform of a political party.

    “We also have to stress that as long as the party that is the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has rules, we are duty-bound to obey them. Being a party with an ideology, there have been several interventions across all layers of the party.

    “For instance, there was a retreat at Ikogosi where the matter would have been resolved. Bamidele failed to turn up; he was also absent at the swearing in of the Deputy Governor after being invited.

    “Also, the intervention of the National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu and the National Chairman, Chief Akande was snubbed by Bamidele.

    “In view of these, we have resolved to remove him as the leader of the Ekiti caucus and replace him with Ajiboye.”

    Labour Party (LP) has made overtures to Bamidele to defect to the party, promising him the governorship ticket.

    Prominent traditional rulers in Ekiti have advised him to mend fences with the ACN to prevent a repeat of the Ajasin/Omoboriowo scenario. They warned against any crack in the party, urging him to remember the battle that heralded Fayemi’s ascension.

    Bamidele could not be reached for comments yesterday

     

  • Ekiti Deputy Governor, Fayemi’s wife, monarch, others teach in school

    Parents have been advised to visit their children’s’ school from time to time.

    Such visits are not only to monitor the progress of their wards but also to encourage teachers and compliment their efforts at preparing the children for a better future through secular education.

    The advice was given by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu in Efon Alaaye-Ekiti yesterday at the second edition of “Reading Parents Initiative.”

    The event was held at the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB Model Nursery and Primary School, Efon Alaaye.

    Noting that children usually feel happy and attentive when they see their parents in school premises, she enjoined parents to come and read comprehension passages to the pupils and even teach them any other subjects they are good at, adding that the aim of the Reading Parent Initiative is to encourage reading culture among pupil and as well foster more cordiality between the parents and the school.

    Prof. Adelabu also urged literate parents not to limit such activities to when they visit the schools alone but to also read to their children at home while advising unlettered parents to let the older siblings who can read well read to the younger ones so that the dying reading culture among pupils will be resuscitated.

    The Deputy Governor, the Governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, the Alaaye of Efon Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare, Commissioner for Culture, Arts and Tourism, Chief Ronke Okusanya and some other government officials went into various classes to read and teach comprehension to the pupils.

    Prof Adelabu told reporters after teaching the pupils that she is naturally and professionally trained as a teacher.

    She described the reading parent initiative as quite interesting and educationally benefiting to both the pupils and the parent as it affords the parents the unique opportunity to teach.

    She also expressed her delight at the way the pupils read the passage, responded to questions thrown at them and expressed themselves without grammatical errors.

    According to her, it was an indication that the efforts of Fayemi administration in the education sector is already yielding expected result.

    Mrs Fayemi praised the state government for the programme which she described as an arrowhead towards assisting the pupils understand comprehension passages and the use of dictionaries.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • My plan for Ekiti, by aspirant

    My plan for Ekiti, by aspirant

    What gives you the impression that there is vacancy in the Ekiti State Government House?

    That is what they say everywhere – that there is no vacancy. It is not only in Ekiti State. Anyway, there was no vacancy when Governor Kayode Fayemi tried it in 2007 and won. That is the same way we are going to try under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We are going to display what we have and tell Ekiti people who we are.

    Politics is capital intensive. How do you intend to raise funds for your campaign?

    Not only that I can raise fund myself, I have friends and I have business associates who believe in my dream and are ready to go all out for me. So, raising funds will not be an issue for us.

    There are other strong contenders in your party. What gives you the impression that you will get the ticket?

    We are going to go through the primaries and whoever wins the primary will get the ticket of the party. We are all equal in the party, nobody is bigger than any other aspirant.

    Who is your godfather?

    I don’t have any human godfather. The Almighty God in heaven is my godfather. That it is why we call Him God the father. I have good friends and associates but I don’t have a man that will tell me what to do and what not to do. But I can assure you that I have the Almighty God, like I said earlier.

    Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Dr. Peter Obafemi spoke with SEGUN AJIBOYE on why he wants to govern the state.

     

    What is the main thrust of your campaign?

    Our major thrust is to tell Ekiti people that our administration will take the creation of jobs very seriously. Ekiti people need jobs and we will give jobs to the people of the state. Beside, Ekiti State has for so long worn the tag of being a civil service state. Our primary pre-occupation will be to industrialise the state in a way that it will make immediate positive impact on the lives of the people. And we are not just talking about industrialization in the local sense, we want to industrialize the state to world standard. So what I want to do in the state is to create industries, manufacturing plants, bring in investors that will establish world class manufacturing plants in the state and partnership in agriculture. Ekiti and Ondo states are known as the education centres in Nigeria and I want us to tap into that again. We want to bring back that old glory of Ekiti in terms of education where our students will be able to cope in any educational system in the world.

    Talking about experience, you are the first Nigerian to open up the Lagos/Atlanta route. But the business failed. What is the guarantee that you will be able to manage Ekiti State successfully?

    I appreciate this question, but it is a very disturbing one. I have been to the North, Northeast, Northcentral, and people there always ask me why did that business fail? They always appreciate me for doing what government of the day couldn’t do. Yes, I was the man that opened that, a direct flight from Atlanta to Lagos. I opened that same route for Delta Airline, now they are enjoying it, I discovered that proposals were written by over 3,000 people to my partners in the US that they wanted to take over the route from us. What really got into them is corporate greed, they wanted to take me out of that market and do it on their own, which they later achieved. But that has nothing to do with Ekiti State. I have learnt a few important lessons and of course, the experience will come handy in the future.

     

  • Ekiti 2014: I’ll contest, Bamidele insists

    Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, a House of Representatives member representing Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun federal Constituency yesterday declared his readiness to contest the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti state. Bamidele is a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    His declaration came as a response to warnings last week by the national leadership of the party that he should shelve his speculated plans to contest the election.

    It will be recalled that the party’s national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and its national leader, former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu had during a visit to the state last Wednesday endorsed Governor Kayode Fayemi as the flag party’s bearer  in the coming election.

    Although, there had been rumours regarding Bamidele’s intention to contest the election, yesterday’s declaration was the first time he would openly announce the plans.

    Speaking at his new situation office in Ado-Ekiti, Bamidele who launched a new political platform tagged Ekiti  Bibiire Coalition (EBC), said “neither ACN nor its leader, Tinubu, can stop me from contesting an election for which he I am irreversibly set.”

    Speaking at the event, the Lawmaker who turns 50 this month said he would contest the election to also honour the people of Ekiti state who he said “are still enmeshed in poverty”, adding “I cannot be celebrating birthday while my people are suffering.”

    In respect of the peace moves by Tinubu and Akande, the lawmaker explained “to be truthful, I was invited to the meeting but I got the text message late. Despite, my argument still remains that Tinubu did not endorse Fayemi at that meeting. He could not have done that.”

    In respect of the political party under which he would be contesting, Bamidele said this would be disclosed at a later date, noting that the time was not ripe yes for such disclosure.

    He however noted that he still had great respect for Senator Tinubu in spite of what might seem a face-off between him and the national leader.

    Said he: “I still have enormous respect for him (Tinubu) under whom I served  as Special Adviser in Lagos state, adding “I am not contesting the coming election out of personal conviction/decision but based on the requests of the people of the state.”

    Noting that he would pursue the goal of contesting in a most peaceful manner, Bamidele said “We are one. All Ekiti people are one wherever they may be. We cannot kill or maim because we want to be this or that. We will pursue our goal with all sense f responsibility and decorum.”

    “I will always respect my benefactor. Senator Tinubu is my benefactor who I respect so well, but Ekiti is first on my Agenda. The Tinubu  that I know wants the best for Ekiti. If I could work for him for eleven and half years to make Lagos State a model which it is today, then I know he will want somebody like me to work with the people to make Ekiti a model”, Bamidele said.

     

  • Ekiti PDP chieftain: ‘Fayemi’s performance speaks for itself’

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Hon. Amirekola Kolade, has said it would be unpatriotic not to acknowledge the developmental achievements of the present administration in the state.

    Kolade, who is the pioneer Deputy Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, against his purported suspension by the state PDP for “admitting Governor Fayemi’s performance on a television programme in Lagos.”

    He said: “It is a statement of fact that the current ACN government in Ekiti State has performed well especially in the areas of road network, remodelling of 183 schools and health institutions, the remodelling of Ikogosi Tourist Resort and the social security scheme for aged people in the state, amongst several others.

    “For the avoidance of doubt and to put the records straight, it is my opinion that, as a stakeholder in Ekiti project, being a member of a different political party should not preclude a patriotic Ekiti indigene from identifying and speaking the truth on the present infrastructural development in the state.”

    He added: “Someone would have expected the PDP to see my admission as a challenge and rise up to the occasion by harmonising and repositioning the party for the 2014 elections rather than continuing to revel in intra-party wrangling.”

    Noting that the current executive council of the party in the state lacked what it takes to win an election, Kolade added: “Our party is struggling with so many problems; let us find a way to resolve this for us to move on.

    “It is an open secret that the current factional state executives came into office fraudulently. They shall soon be swept away from office.”