The Peoples Democratic Party National Working Committee has said the alleged gang-up against Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State by the All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the state will fail.
The PDP also denied that it was begging the lawmakers to rescind their decision to impeach the governor.
The PDP Acting National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, said during a solidarity visit to Fayose in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the impeachment threat against the governor remains a litmus test to the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. According to Secondus, the way the President handles the issue will confirm whether the APC-led Federal Government respects the rule of law and due process or not.
He said the party’s concern was total adherence to the tenets of the constitution and the rule of law to be followed in the impeachment saga.
Other members of the delegation included the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh; National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha; and National Auditor, Fatai Adeyanju.
Secondus said: “We are here in Ekiti to pay solidarity visit to our dear Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose over the political crisis in Ekiti State.
“As you are aware, the leadership of APC and the lawmakers had decided to gang up to illegally remove the governor from office.
“The court order of April 23 given by Justice Chukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja is still effective.
“As of now, Hon. Adewale Omirin is not the authentic speaker of the Assembly and can’t communicate to the Chief Judge of the state to set up panel to try Fayose.
“Even as we speak, the governor has not received any letter from the lawmakers.
“We call on the Federal Government, the Ekiti people that democracy is in danger in Ekiti.
“We owe it a duty to protect the rule of law.
“Should they go ahead to illegally impeach the governor, the consequences will be anarchy, crisis and violence.
“PDP as a party is law abiding and this we demonstrated by allowing democracy to grow while in control.
“This is a test case for the APC Federal Government.
“It must ensure that constitution is protected.
“We are not begging anybody, but our appeal has been that due process must be followed.
“We are warning the lawmakers to desist from their actions.
“PDP as a party will not allow anybody to return Nigeria to autocracy.
“Fayose is a performer and he should be allowed to develop this State.”
Fayose, who branded himself as ‘one man political army’, boasted that the lawmakers would fail in their bid to impeach him.
He said he has the people behind him.
Fayose described the visit as apt and timely, saying the party’s leaders had demonstrated their avowed stand to play opposition role and defend the country’s democracy from being debased.
He said: “We will not allow them to trample on the constitution.
“That the country is witnessing peace today is a collaborative effort between former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP.
“The PDP is united after the loss at the election and we are gradually picking the pieces together.
“But we are assuring you that we are solidly on ground.
“You know it will get to a stage when the people will act like the constitution themselves.
“When the APC lawmakers wanted to do jankara impeachment, the people here become constitution themselves and they said no.
“This is a PDP-controlled state and this must be respected.
“Nigeria can’t be a one party state because Nigeria is a federating state.
“Former Governor Kayode Fayemi was a governor here and Jonathan never gave him problem.
“So nobody can give me problem.
“So, my party leaders, just go home and rest.
“We will be on the ground like the nation of Israel to protect our territory.”