National leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday reassured aggrieved aspirants on the platform of the party for the Ekiti State July 14 governorship poll that the May 8 primary of the party would be free, fair and transparent.
The parties – Dayo Adeyeye, Biodun Olujimi and Owoseni Ajayi and others like Dare Bejide and Sikiru Lawal, who have defeated to others parties – were aggrieved because of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s overwhelming support for his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, also an aspirant for the poll.
Assuring the party members and angry aspirants, the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secindus, said: “I assure you once again there will be transparency and the process would not cheat anybody.
“I urge you to join the leaders to work together to ensure a free and fair transparent primaries.
“Eminent Nigerians are conducting the primaries.
“We urge you to remain calm.
“We also urge INEC and security agents not to be partial, but come to defend democracy, doing that the best, if our people will serve the people the best.
“From here, we are moving to other parts of the country for sensitization.”
Also, former Senate President, David Mark, who was the Chairman of the reconciliation committee that brought all aspirants and Fayose together, said: “First is that I have been working on bringing peace to Ekiti by reconciling all parties and that has been done very well.
“I thank you supporters for the peace and agreement to work together.
“Secondly is to assure you that the process leading to the final election of whoever will become PDP candidate in Ekiti for the July poll will be free, fair and credible.
“If we are insisting that INEC must be fair, it means we will have to do so ourselves at the party level.
“Nobody will write delegates’ names.
“Everyone will vote for candidate of his choice.
“We will ensure this and all stakeholders will ensure it.
“We want to show the world what internal democracy is.
“Internal democracy will ensure that you all fight for your preferred candidates and we will ensure that.
“I am very confident that PDP will be in Ekiti.”
Governor Fayose also allayed the dears of the aspirants, saying: “There is no value you can add to us more than this.
“Your presence has gingered everyone because the party is on ground here.
“When I was to contest in 2014, we won in 158 wards out of 177 Ward.
“If APC gets 10 wards this time, I will conceded the governorship poll to them.
“I am the landlord of APC here.
“I defeated Adebayo their grandfather, his great grandson will equally be defeated.
“I want the other aspirants to be comfortable.
“The ultimate is to defeat APC in Ekiti and Nigeria.
“Any party operation that cannot is not a party.
“I will not do anything that would undermine this, the party and the governorship aspirants.
“In a matter like this, there will be many interests.
“I am for Olusola but whosoever that wins the primaries I will stand by that person.
“The worst PDP man is the best of APC.
“I won’t behave like the mother of the biblical twins who killed her own child.
“If the other aspirants are not comfortable with my coming to the primaries, I won’t come.
“If you lose and the process is transparent, you should support the party.”
The aspirants were also allowed to give their words of commitment.
Adeyeye said: “I believe this meeting is to assure all of us in Ekiti that there will be free and fair primaries.
“We want it free.
“If there is anybody who has written names of delegates, they should tear it off.
“The party has also assured to publish all names of delegates and that by May 8 everyone will vote in secret ballot, and no one will be intimidated or suspended or harassed.
“If this is done, I am assured that PDP will coast home with victory.
“This is the first time I am seeing PDP being very well organized in the primaries.
“I appeal to all us that we should maintain our peace.
“Don’t feel harassed or intimidated.
“The leaders at the national level have assured us and I believe Governor Fayose has supported it.”
Also speaking, Senator Olujimi said: “This is a good beginning because before now most of us could not come home to do anything but your comments as leaders would change the tide of things.
“There is much work to do.
“We need to set up another committee to do another reconciliation.
“The right thing has to be done.
“If the right thing is done, I am sure we won’t have problems even at the national level.”
Also speaking, Olusola said: “As an aspirant, I am committed to free, fair primaries and by the grace of the almighty God, I remain loyal to this noble party and ready to abide by the rules and regulations of this party.
“We the PDP in Ekiti are on ground and we will ensure that we work together for victory.”
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