A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase, says the party is organising itself to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress from power.
He said the party was poised to achieve its aim notwithstanding the stance of the ex-governor Ayodele Fayose, a PDP chieftain, to back incumbent Governor Abiodun Oyebanji.
Oguntuwase said rather than dissipate energy on suspending Fayose from the party, the Ekiti PDP would rather concentrate on the more compelling tasks of rebuilding and repositioning itself for victory.
The former PDP boss, who spoke in a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, on the task before the party’s new caretaker committee headed by Dare Adeleke, said the PDP was working on how it could win future elections without former Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Fayose had in August during the Udiroko Festival celebration in Ado Ekiti, expressed support for the second term bid of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, expressing satisfaction with his performance in office.
Oguntuwase said, “There are many other things that PDP takes more seriously than the issue of the conduct of Fayose. What is important to us is that we must strategize on winning without him because he has said he would not be for us.
“That is more important than going to his ward to get him suspended or expelled. With that, we will be dignifying him. We do not have time for him, we have time for rebuilding our party.”
The PDP chieftain also dismissed Fayose’s loyalists’ allegation of being sidelined in the composition of the state caretaker committee, asserting: “The PDP National Working Committee, which set up the caretaker committee, took a lot of things into consideration.
“Why Fayose is not happy is that he would have wanted to know everything about our plans towards the governorship so that he could undo us and expose our secret to the APC. He has been kind enough to show that he will undo the PDP in the next governorship election in Ekiti.
“He has clearly indicated that he would be for the opposition in the next election. He declared at every fora that he attends or that is available to him that Oyebanji should have another four years.
“As far as we are concerned, if such a person is again complaining that he is not included in strategic development of PDP, you will see that it will be self-contradictory. You want us to bring a spy or our enemy into our strategic plan, no,” Oguntuwase said.
The former state chairman said that the caretaker committee had been an encouragement to the party in the state, adding, “Having Adeleke as the caretaker committee chairman in Ekiti is encouraging those of us who are committed to the rebuilding of our party.
“He has set up party caretaker committees in all the local governments and this will encourage us to start having a lot of activities which is very desirable. Those appointed are leaders who are already planning to help this caretaker committee in making sure that we have very effective grassroot campaigns,” he said.
Punch