Posted by By BOLU-OLU ESHO, Ado-Ekiti on
The crises brewing in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State may be heading for a happy ending as the reconciliatory committee of the party from the South West zone arrived Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to mediate between the feuding individual members of the party.
The crises brewing in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State may be heading for a happy ending as the reconciliatory committee of the party from the South West zone arrived Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to mediate between the feuding individual members of the party.
The committee, which was led by the former national deputy chairman of the party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, paid the state governor, Segun Oni, a courtesy visit on Wednesday in his office, where they officially acquainted him with its mission in the state.
Among the prominent members of the party to be reconciled are ex-governor of the state, Ayo Fayose and the state Chairman, Bola-Olu Ojo, Senator Lawrence Agunbiade, a chieftain of the party, who had defected to Action Congress (AC) with his followers in Ise-Ekiti.
Others are those who were disgruntled over what was described as lopsidedness in the appointments made so far by the governor, which they alleged favoured only new members of the party who crossed from AC to PDP before the governorship poll in April 2007.
The reconciliation, which took place at Southwestern Hotel in Ado-Ekiti, would run for three days when it is expected that the committee would have resolved all the crises among the ranks and file of the party.
Daily Sun's investigation revealed that ex-governor Fayose had been visited by the reconciliatory committee in his country home, Afao-Ekiti to appeal to him to honour the invitation served by the committee to be part of the exercise.
Fayose stormed the venue around 1.25p.m. with his supporters in their hundreds in a luxury bus and an 18-passenger bus with a band of musicians, and blocked the entrance gate with their vehicles.
Speaking with newsmen at the venue, Fayose said he was confident that the committee was capable of resolving the crises in the party.
He advised that the committee should give the crises a holistic approach, noting that he was no longer going to make any comment on Governor Segun Oni-led administration until the committee completed its mediation exercise.
Meanwhile, sources closed to the maverick politician tacitly expressed doubt in the success of reconciliatory moves, but said the presence of Fayose was expected of any visionary leader.
Other members of the committee include Dr Yemi Farounbi, Mrs Kalifat Ogbara, Mr Taiwo Akeju and Mr Wahab Toye.
Among other disgruntled members of the present at the venue were ex-governor Fayose's deputy, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, former governorship aspirant, Mr Deji Adesua, Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Former commissioners, Mr Kayode Otitoju, Chief Banji Olowofela, former member of House of Representatives, Mr Olufemi Adeyemi and former governorship aspirant, Mr Yinka Akerele.