1 week ago
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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Chief Dare Adeleke, has said it won’t be business as usual for those working against the interest of the party, especially as it concerns the 2026 governorship election in the state.
Adeleke made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting held, in Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state, on Thursday, as part of the party’s efforts to settle its internal differences, ensure that the rescheduled ward, local government and state congresses are rancour-free and also deliberate on ways to achieve victory in the 2026 governorship election in the state
Leaders in attendance include Senator, Duro Faseyi, former chairmen, Hon. Gboyega Oguntuase, Hon. Makanjuola Ogundipe, former deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Deji Ogunsakin, former Commissioner, Hon. Segun Akinwumi, former State Legal Adviser, Hon. Sunday Olowolafe and former State Women Leader, Hon Sade Akinrinmola (Sade Gboyin).
Others are governorship aspirants for the 2026 election in the state, Dr Wole Oluyede, Otunba Emmanuel Fayose and Hon. Funmi Ogun, as well as other leaders, members and supporters of the party from across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
Adeleke said, “We have some evil people within our party who do want us to come together like we are doing today.
Within our party, we have some leaders who are evil, who are destroyers.
“Among our leaders, we have some who will go to Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the night, We have some of our leaders holding meetings against our party.
“Your bringing me here to Ekiti is a signal to let everybody know that PDP has come alive in Ekiti State, which is already alive, but we want to strengthen the PDP, those people that are destroying the party, they will never be given a dime chance to destroy this party.
“We will win the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti. From the quality of aspirants that we have in the party, I can boast that any one of them that emerges will surely deliver.
“The people at the national are really doing their best to make sure that Ekiti comes alive. To make sure that Ekiti gets the ticket as the PDP governorship in Ekiti State.”
Adeleke who said party crisis is not peculiar to the PDP alone, emphasized the importance of unity among the members, to rebuild the party and make it stronger.
He assured them that the congresses would hold and that the leadership of the party at the national is solidly with the PDP in the state
“I have been receiving calls since midnight that some people are coming to disrupt this meeting. They said we have been taken to court and they want to restrain us from holding the congress.
“There is nothing they have not done. Let everybody hold on to their party. The PDP is different from the APC. Why is it that they don’t want us to breathe?
“I beg you all, let us be united, don’t let anybody scare you that our congresses will be disrupted. We will prepare for them.
“I assure you that very soon we will hold our congresses. The one that didn’t hold the other time, all those that were supposed to supervise us starting from INEC, to the Police, the Civil Defence, the DSS and observers, we have written letters to them and they have responded and promised that the one we are going to hold next, they will stand by us and do it with us.
“Don’t let anybody tell you that the party is in disarray at the national, no, the party is waxing stronger, especially here in Ekiti.
“I can assure you that the people at the national level are solidly with you. The national leaders of the PDP are solidly with Ekiti people are they sympathize with you.”
Speaking further on the congresses, he said, “We need unity and sincere cohesion as we prepare for the congresses. You are aware we were supposed to have held the exercise two weeks ago but postponed due to the crisis at the national headquarters of the party.”
Responding to the alleged anti-party activities of some prominent leaders and members of the party, Adeleke said,
“We are aware that some people want to be in two places at the same time, including prominent leaders who are romancing the APC, we are going to sanction them any moment from now.
“We will not mince our words whoever is working against the party irrespective of their personality, we will not spare them. We will make sure they are disciplined.”
Also speaking, Senator Duro Faseyi, expressed delight that the PDP is rising again in Ekiti State.
“There is hope for the PDP and that is why we are here today. When you talk about party issues it doesn’t end on PDP alone.
“The All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party and others are not excluded. That we are not in government does not mean we are not intact, we are intact.
“The only thing that we are waiting for is the issue of congresses. Everything is in the court and we are waiting for the final judgement. If we don’t wait for the final Judgement and we go into the congresses at the end of the day it might be nullified.’
Faseyi urged the leadership of the party at the national to without further delay discipline those working against the interest of the party, saying, “Nothing can move where there is no discipline. Also, nobody is above the law.”
In his remarks, one of the party’s governorship aspirants, Dr Wole Oluyede, said the PDP remains a formidable force in the state despite the fact that it has not been in power for close to eight years.
“We are rebuilding the party. We are working underneath and as you can see we are ready to lead Ekiti State. One thing that is sure is that the PDP is more popular in Ekiti.
“This is a party that hasn’t been in power going to six years now and by next election, it is going to be eight years
“Nobody has decamped. We are not spending government money. Even those who are spending government money have little to show for It.
“And then, in the record of Ekiti, the PDP, has contributed more to the development of Ekiti whether anybody likes it or not. So, we are very hopeful.
“See some of the aspirants that are here they are laughing and joking. We are not disunited. We talk to one another. We know what our problems are and we know how to solve them. We will work together to win the next election.”
On his part, Otunba Emmanuel Fayose, also a governorship aspirant, urged the members of the party to be united, saying, the PDP has what it takes to dislodge the ruling APC in 2026.
“We have what it takes to win the next election. We must come together as one to dislodge the APC because the government of the day is not doing well at all.
A female governorship aspirant and former State Secretary of the party, Funmi Ogun, expressed happiness that the party is tackling its challenges the right way, adding, in unity the party will win the 2026 poll.
“I am glad that Ekiti PDP is facing its problem in a right channel, in a right manner by calling all the stakeholders together to sit down and discuss to channel a path forward. You cannot say there won’t be a problem or that everything will go smoothly.
“More so, 2026 is our election in Ekiti. Before the election, there are issues like that, so if these issues can be resolved amicably, then we can face the election as a united party, in unity, as a force. But when we don’t solve our problems now, it becomes an issue to face the election.
A member of the party, Akomolafe Benjamin, said the people were better off when the PDP was in government in the state.
He noted that the PDP is mapping out strategies to overcome its challenges and reclaim its position in the state.
“There is no political family that does not have differences but their ability to come together and settle them matter.
“Ekiti people know who is troubling them. When the PDP was in power they knew how they were doing and today, they know their condition. So, the people who are saying we are troubled are the ones troubling the people of Ekiti State.
“We are here today to bring together ideas, form a common front and move the party forward.”
English (US) ·