The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gboyega Oguntuase

  • 2019: Ekiti PDP aspirants plot mass defection to APC

    Many People’s Democratic Party (PDP) State and National Assembly aspirants in Ekiti State have resolved to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged imposition of candidates by Governor Ayo Fayose.

    They accused the governor of having overbearing influence on the Screening Committee sent from the PDP National Secretariat to scrutinize the suitability of the aspirants for the seats they are contesting for.

    Describing reasons given for their disqualification as “feeble and untenable,” the PDP aspirants said the action was allegedly taken by the governor in collusion with the Gboyega Oguntuase-led State Executive Committee “to give room for the present occupants of the seats to emerge by consensus, which they described as anti-democratic.”

    Despite their pleas to the NWC and lodgement of complaints before the PDP appeal panel, their  hopes were on Saturday dashed with clear indications from the National headquarters of the party that the affected aspirants stand disqualified.

    One of the aspirants told our correspondent in Ado Ekiti on Monday that those who fell prey of manipulation in PDP are mobilizing their members and considering dumping the party for the APC.

    According to him, a top member of the NWC said that the party was under stringent instruction from the power brokers in Ekiti that only the incumbent should be allowed to emerge by consensus.

    Those that were favored by the governor, according to him were: Hon Ayodeji Oladimeji, representing Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Hon Kehinde Agboola, representing  Oye/Ikole Federal constituency I, Hon Thaddeus Aina, Ido/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency, Hon Segun Adekola , Ekiti Southwest/Ikere.Ise constituency.

    He said only those that had fallen out with Fayose; Hons Ola Oni, representing Ijero/ Efon/Ekiti West and Akin Awodumila, representing Gbonyin/Emure/Ekiti East were to be replaced with those perceived to be loyal to the governor.

    The aggrieved aspirant added that Oni was to be substituted  with the name of the present Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Bisi Kolawole, on account of his defection to APC while Awodumila would be replaced by another person on account  of old age and alleged ineptitude.

    Read Also: 2019: Ekiti APC members affirm Buhari’s candidacy

    The aspirant, who doesn’t want his name in print said,   what he called ‘political tsunami’ would hit the Ekiti chapter of the party and that over  10 of them are already poaching the party members for the mass defection to APC.

    He said the leadership of the APC, led by its new State Chairman, Barrister Paul Omotoso, has been contacted and that the opposition party is enthusiastic to have them in its fold.

    “We are keeping our strategies to our chests, we are making serious incursion into PDP and our efforts are gaining wider acceptability because of what our people have been reduced to.

    “There is a big difference between being a supporter of someone or being a slave. Our party members in Ekiti have been reduced to slaves, this was not only pathetic but very unfortunate.

    “We lost the July 14 election on account of arrogance. We lost to highhandedness because many party’s founding leaders like: Chief Clement Awoyelu, Dare Bejide, Dr Sikiru Lawal , Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Ayo Arise, Ropo Adesanya , Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan , Sunday Akinniyi and many too numerous to mention left the party on account of despotism that has become the order of the day.

    “It pained us that a party that just lost election could be doing this. We thought sanity will prevail but our Ekiti PDP has been deeply immersed in insanity. It is on this premise that we are considering pitching our tent with APC where we feel our rights and aspirations can be fulfilled and it is going to be in a matter of days”, he said.

    But the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ekiti, Jackson Adebayo justified the disqualification, saying it was done in line with the party’s guidelines on eligibility for elective positions.

    Adebayo, who responded to attempt by aggrieved aspirants to dump the party, said there was no justifiable reason for such since all the contestants were given the party’s guidelines regarding the positions and stipulated criteria for the seats.

    “I don’t think we have problem with our primary in Ekt PDP. Our primaries for the Senate, House of Representatives and Assembly contests start from tomorrow till Thursday. Nobody was wrongly disqualified, it was done in line with our party’s guidelines.

    “All the contestants were fairly screened. No favouritism at all regarding qualifications.  It was purely done based on merit and eligibility. All the aspirants knew criteria for qualification and whoever fell victim didn’t meet the set criteria  and not out of victimization”, Adebayo stated.

    This disturbing news came barely one week some House of Representatives aspirants   besieged the PDP  Secretariat located in Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti, where they protested violently against the clandestine moves  to disqualify them from the race.

    The aggrieved aspirants, who were vying for the  House of Representatives contests in their various federal  constituencies include: Mr Segun Olanipekun, Ademola Salami, Temitope Oluwatosin Ajayi, Goke Omidiran Chief David Arowolo, Adekunle Ojo, Ibrahim Mumini Adewale,  Mr. Victor Alale and Mrs Kemi Adewumi .

    The protest, spearheaded by  these six House of representatives aspirants and their backers , accused the members of the PDP Screening Committee , led by Mr Seye Shonuga ,  sent by Chief Uche Secondus led National Working Committee (NWC) to screen the aspirants  of allegedly subverting the process to give way for automatic tickets to Fayose’s close allies and present occupants of the seats.

  • Ekiti 2018: Police helped APC to buy votes, says Ekiti PDP

    The Ekiti State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the Police to rig Saturday’s governorship election.

    Ekiti PDP Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, also accused the Police of complicity in the alleged sharing of money to voters on the day of the election.

    Oguntuase who accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of engaging in what he called “see-and-buy” to induce voters absolved his party of participating in the alleged cash-for-vote saga.

    Addressing a news conference at the party secretariat on Monday, Oguntuase alleged that the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is holding what he called a “stolen mandate” which he vowed will be retrieved at the tribunal.

    He claimed that Ekiti people have been in “mourning mood” since the result of the governorship poll was announced by INEC on Saturday alleging that the exercise was neither free nor fair.

    Oguntuase alleged that “the will of Ekiti people was bought and their conscience purchased” with funds mobilized to the state by the APC to secure victory at the poll.

    Read Also: Ekiti: We will reclaim mandate in court, says Fayose

    He disclosed that the party has been receiving calls from many prominent Nigerians whom he said have encouraged the party to proceed to the court of law to seek redress on the election result.

    Pointing out some infractions to be challenged before the Election Petition Tribunal, Oguntuase, a lawyer, alleged that votes allotted by INEC were more than accredited voters.

    The PDP boss alleged that about 20 members of the party including four aides of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo are still being detained and kept in unknown places.

    He identified some victims of alleged APC attacks to include House of Assembly member, Dr. Samuel Omotoso; Commissioner for Public Utilities, mr. Tunde Ogunleye; a PDP member in Ikole, Moji Eleja; former Ado-Ekiti council chairman, Mr. Taye Fasuba; younger brother to deputy governorship candidate, Mr. Deji Ogunsakin;

    Oguntuase condemned the deployment of about 30,000 policemen for the election alleging that they came to Ekiti to work for APC.

    He alleged that agents of PDP were chased away by people he described as APC thugs given security cover by the Police.

    Oguntuase also condemned the alleged invasion of Ekiti by senior government officials of neighboring APC-controlled states claiming that the Secretary to the State Government of one of the states alleged perpetrated mayhem in Ilejemeje local government area.

  • Ekiti 2018: PDP picks 39-year-old banker as Olusola’s running mate

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has chosen a 39-year-old banker and economist, Kazeem Ayodeji Ogunsakin, as the deputy governorship candidate.

    Ogunsakin, who is a Muslim, was the immediate past Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government, will serve as the running mate to the flag bearer and incumbent Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    The choice of Ogunsakin was seen as a gesture of meeting the demand of the Muslim community in the state which demanded the slot of the deputy governor.

    The statement conveying the choice of Ogunsakin was signed on Friday by the state PDP Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase.

    Oguntuase: “The choice of 39 year old Economist and Banker was informed by the need to involve the younger generation in governance of the Stage in line with the global teens as well as give the Muslim community in the State a sense of belonging.

    “Furthermore, it is our belief that Ado Ekiti, being the state capital with the largest voting population, deserves consideration for the deputy governorship position.”

    The PDP deputy governorship candidate, who is a graduate of Economics from the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, also holds a Masters’ degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos.

    Until his nomination, he was the Head of the Due Process Unit, Office of the Governor.

  • Ekiti: Four PDP guber aspirants rise against Fayose

    Ekiti: Four PDP guber aspirants rise against Fayose

    Four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ekiti State have called on the national leadership of the party to disqualify Governor Ayo Fayose from playing any role in the primary election scheduled for April.

    They said the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Prince Uche Secondus should disqualify Fayose having adopted his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, which they said amounted to the imposition on party leaders and members.

    The concerned aspirants at a news conference they addressed on Tuesday claimed that there was no time Olusola showed interest in ruling the state adding that “Fayose saw him as a weakling that can be manipulated against the interest of Ekiti people.”

    The four governorship hopefuls accused Fayose of unilateral imposition of Olusola, using state apparatus to promote him, intimidation and harassment of party members loyal to other aspirants, arbitrariness and one-man dictatorship.

    The alleged imposition of Olusola by Fayose, they said, has led to indifference and exodus of leaders and members expressing fear that the action may kill the party.

    The four aspirants who addressed reporters are former Minister of State for Works and immediate past PDP national spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Senate Minority Whip and former Deputy Governor, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi; former Secretary to the State Government and former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Dare Bejide and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi.

    They also called for the dissolution of the state PDP executive committee led by Mr. Gboyega Oguntuase for allegedly betraying its expected neutrality calling for the constitution of a caretaker committee in its stead.

    The aspirants called for a strict adherence to the provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution in the process leading to the conduct of the primary and emergence of flag bearer for the July 14 governorship election.

    Adeyeye lampooned Fayose for allegedly carrying out persecution of other aspirants to “a ridiculous level” by ordering party members in all parts of the state to reject Christmas gifts they sent to them.

    Adeyeye said: “The candidate he (Fayose) has chosen for himself is not a person that can win the election in this state. When you display billboards and you are writing “Meet Your Next Governor” on them, you are putting yourself in the position of God and that is very annoying.

    “We will not leave the party for him because he sees himself as all-in-all but we know he is not all-in-all. The governor being an interested party must be put in his place and no advantage should be accorded (Olusola) Eleka.”

    Mrs. Olujimi said: “We have not come here to tear our party apart, all we are demanding for is a free and fair process that will lead to the emergence of a candidate.

    “Can anybody who wants to win the election for PDP wish us away? If anybody wants to wish us away in the party, the consequences will be grave.

    “The primary will ne held in few months and nothing has changed. This (Fayose) was the same man who opposed the use of consensus when he was contesting the last time.”

    Bejide said: “Section 50 (i), 50 (2) and 50 (2b) of the PDP constitution spells out how our candidate will emerge.

    “Imposition, impunity and arbitrary action of a sitting governor is definitely ruled out and we will surely enforce the provision of the law.

    “The governor and the State Working Committee has no role to play except they are co-opted by the national leadership.”

    Ajayi said: “The governor may claim that he has the right to support any aspirant of his choice but the deputy governor has not come out to say he wants to be governor.

    “What the deputy governor has said was that he wants to back to the university to continue lecturing. The govenor is forcing the Deputy Governor on us.

    “The so-called was a fraudulent act, an illegal action; I want to tell you that eighty percent of those working with him are with us. They are only working for the money they are earning.”

  • Court sacks Fayose PDP exco

    …Orders INEC to recognise Williams Ajayi as party chairman

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday ruled that Williams Sunday Ajayi is the authentic chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo in a judgment delivered on Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the Ajayi-led executive as the authentic PDP organ in the state.

    The judgment sacked the factional executive committee led by Gboyega Oguntuase from office, ordering INEC to only deal with the Ajayi-led exco.

    The Oguntuase-led faction is believed to be loyal to the state governor, Ayo Fayose.

     

  • Fayose confused, afraid of his shadow – APC

    Fayose confused, afraid of his shadow – APC

    … Nigerians will resist plot to remove governor – PDP

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has described Governor Ayo Fayose’s allegation of a plot by the party to collude with the judiciary to remove him as the “ranting of a notorious blackmailer, electoral robber, political harlot and pathological liar.”

    The party accused Fayose of crying wolf where there is none, saying the governor “is on a familiar terrain to save his head with such a pre-emptive blackmail as usual even though he knows the details of the crimes he had committed and has continued to commit against the nation.”

    In a statement issued on Thursday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the APC slammed Fayose for accusing his predecessors, Chief Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, maintaining that there was no meeting where the duo met with their supporters and boasted that he will be removed.

    While noting that Fayose was jittery and afraid of consequences of his many infractions on the law, Olatunbosun said Fayemi and Oni are “too decent and busy” in their assignments to engage in such frivolous boasts that Fayose is accusing them of.

    The APC spokesperson added that the track records of the two ex-governors as democrats and “Omoluabi” are there for all to see as opposed to Fayose’s hit-and-run and “bolekaja” reputation.

    Olatunbosun said Fayose was afraid of his own shadow as a “lawless misfit in the position of authority who has no respect for the supreme law of the country after his serial rapes on the Constitution but who is now jittery and as a result, has resorted to blackmail.”

    While clarifying that no case has been filed in the Supreme Court, the APC said no amount of blackmail can stop a party that is aggrieved from approaching the apex court to have a second look at the Ekiti election dispute after revelations from Capt. Sagir Koli’s audio tape, report by army panel and confessions of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) henchmen who allegedly participated in the poll crime.

    He said: “The same Segun Oni he went to visit at his country home with funfare recently is the same man Fayose is now accusing of plotting to remove him from office, which shows clearly that he is confused and suffering from hysteria.

    “Fayemi and Oni would rather busy themselves with the development of Ekiti instead of making Fayose, who has caused much embarrassment to himself and Ekiti people, their topic.”

    Meanwhile, PDP in Ekiti State has condemned an alleged plot by the APC to remove Fayose from power through the judiciary.

    The party said the alleged plot to oust Fayose would trigger “a crisis of monumental proportion that would be difficult for the Nigerian Army to curtail” if it is eventually carried out.

    In a chat with reporters in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, state PDP Chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase, warned the alleged plot could lead to the collapse of the APC-led Federal Government if eventually executed.

    Oguntuase defended Fayose’s action of writing a petition to the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in which he raised the alarm, noting that it behoves on the nation’s top judge to prevent the judiciary from being manipulated.

    He said it was wrong to believe that Fayose was playing to the gallery by raising alarm in his letter to the CJN, saying the action was to alert Nigerians that “democracy is in danger.”