PDP fast losing ground in Ekiti, say party chiefs

TOYIN ANISULOWO, Ado-Ekiti

The factional acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti, Tunde Olatunde, and the secretary, Tope Aluko, have lamented what they called “dwindling fortunes” of the party in the state.

They urged the reconciliation team raised by the National Working Committee of the party to look into “reckless impunity against the party constitution in Ekiti.”

There are two factions in Ekiti with the group loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose led by Idowu Faleye, and the other led by Olatunde.

Faleye purportedly resigned in May and was replaced by Olatunde who was vice chairman (North) before his emergence as acting chairman.

Speaking in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, Olatunde said the State Working Committee members loyal to him were in full support of any action geared towards restoring peace to the party.

He maintained that the party must not be allowed to be hijacked by an individual no matter how highly placed.

Olatunde disclosed that all funds from the PDP national headquarters sent to the state chapter for support during the 2015 general elections were unaccounted for because “they were collected by Mr. Governor without making recourse to the party.”

He added that the party was sidelined in the selection of candidates for legislative offices in the 2015 general elections and appointments which he noted had weakened the party’s grassroots structure.

The State PDP Secretary, Tope Aluko, revealed that each SWC member was owed N4.8 million being allowances for 32 months while the party from the ward to the state levels had not received any due from government.

“The electorate is gradually losing confidence from 202,000 votes of PDP to 127,000 votes of APC (62 percent to 38 percent) in the June 21, 2014, governorship election to PDP’s over 165,000 votes to APC’s over 122,00 votes in the House of Assembly election of April 11, 2015.

“This shows that it dropped from 57 percent to 43 percent and a loss of about 40,000 votes in real terms. The implication is that the fortune of PDP is dwindling in Ekiti.

“The popularity of winning elections is that of PDP and not that of an individual because we tested this in 2011 general elections.”