By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Ado Ekiti
A rival faction of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led Peoples Democratic Party , in Ekiti state, has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose to feel free to leave the party if he so desires, saying they won’t miss him.
The position came against the backdrop of media reports where Fayose had repeatedly said he would leave the party if Sheriff won at the Supreme Court.
Calling the governor’s bluff in a statement yesterday by the Deputy Chairman, Olasunkanmi Ogunbiyi; and secretary, Ilesanmi Obe,, in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, the faction declared that Fayose was disturbed because he had lost the control of the party structure in the state.
According to them, “the exit of Fayose from PDP will not adversely affect the fortunes of the party. All the ward, local government and state executives as well as the state’s leadership caucus remain intact.
“Most of the elected and appointed officials at all levels of government have resolved to remain in PDP and are not following Fayose if he eventually defects again…
“All the 177 wards and 16 local governments still believe in the PDP as the party that delivered and performed best so far since the creation of Ekiti State.
“The incontrovertible fact is that on the two occasions he won the governorship elections, it was the PDP that provided the platform and opportunities for him.”
Recalling that the party was not shaken when Fayose dumped PDP for Labour Party, the faction said, “if he decides to leave PDP again, we shall not miss him, as the party remains strong and in fact under the able leadership of Chief Clement Awoyelu, the first state chairman of the party.
“When Fayose dumped the party in 2007, we went ahead to win the governorship election and all the nine National Assembly seats and 13 House of Assembly seats without him,” the statement added.
