The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Rt. Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, has announced that the party’s leadership and stakeholders have resolved to enter into a political alliance with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and adopt Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as their preferred presidential candidate.
Odeyemi disclosed this while addressing journalists after a meeting of the party’s State Executive Committee, leaders, elders and stakeholders held in Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, the meeting, which was attended by a majority of the party’s elders, leaders, members and stakeholders from across the state, unanimously agreed that the Ekiti PDP would collaborate with the APM in future elections while remaining a recognized structure within the PDP.
He explained that under the alliance, the party would support candidates contesting on the APM platform in the presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections.
The state PDP chairman said the decision was reached in the overall interest of the party and its members, stressing that the alliance would strengthen the opposition’s chances in future elections.
His announcement comes amid an earlier statement by the Omolase-led faction, which had distanced itself from any alliance with the APM
Reacting to the development, Odeyemi maintained that the position of the Omolase faction does not represent the recognized leadership or the overwhelming majority of PDP supporters in Ekiti State.
He emphasized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not a court of law and does not have the power to nullify or overturn the duly elected executives of any political party.
Odeyemi described as laughable the actions of those who participated in the congresses that produced the Ekiti State PDP executives from the ward to the state level, only to later challenge the same executives in court. He noted that while the case was still pending before the court, the same group hurriedly conducted another congress. According to him, the matter was eventually decided by the Ekiti State High Court, which dismissed and struck out their case.
He also dissociated the Odeyemi-led PDP from the endorsement of any presidential candidate by the Omolase faction, insisting that the endorsement was made without the consent or approval of the legally constituted executives and recognized leadership of the party.
ODEYEMI challenged Omolase faction of claims that Odeyemi is the south senatorial candidate of APM asked them to prove it with any documents beyond unnecessary propaganda and cheap blackmail.
Odeyemi called on party members across the state to remain united and committed to the PDP/APM alliance, urging them to begin mobilization at the grassroots to ensure victory for the coalition in the forthcoming elections.