Ekiti poll: Aspirants reject Fayose’s deputy as PDP flag bearer

Two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ekiti State, Chief Dare Bejide and Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, has rejected the adoption of Prof. Kolapo Olusola as the party’s “sole candidate” by Governor Ayo Fayose and his loyalists.

Fayose had at a event in the state capital picked his deputy as the PDP “consensus” candidate for next year’s governorship election in Ekiti.

The aspirants said Olusola’s adoption won’t pose any threat to their participation in the party’s governorship primary slated for first quarter of next year.

Bejide, a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, expressed optimism that he would win the party’s governorship ticket.

According to him, nobody can impose a candidate on the party.

Ajayi, the immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, said the party’s delegates at the primary would determine the flag bearer.

Bejide said: “Any caucus of the party can adopt any candidate. Whether the choice of Olusola by his caucus has Fayose’s backing hold no water as no one can impose a candidate on the party.

“This would not stop me from emerging the party’s governorship flagbearer in March 2018.”

Ajayi added: “The decision to conduct primary and determine who gets the party’s ticket belongs to the National Committee of the PDP.

“The emergence of Olusola would not affect my decision to run for the ticket of our great party.”