……Al-Makura’ll continue from where he stopped-Abdullahi
Minister of Mines and Steel development and governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and former lawmaker, Bimbo Daramola are locked in a war of words, over the disruption of the party’s governorship primary election on Saturday.
Suspected thugs believed to be working for some aspirants in the race disrupted the primaries with videos from the chaos that ensued, going viral on social media Saturday night.
In a statement issued on his behalf by Yinka Oyebode, his media aide, Fayemi accused Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a former senator, and Daramola, an ex-member of the house of representatives, of being too desperate.
According to Fayemi, the party did not deserve the type of ridicule it was subjected to.
Claiming to have secured the highest votes in the botched primary, Fayemi said the disruption was the height of desperation on the part of aspirants who saw defeat staring them in the face.
“It is quite painful seeing some desperate elements trying so much to rubbish the party we all laboured to build to national reckoning, out of share lust for power,” he said.
“If the quest for political position is to serve, then one wonders why the desperation being displayed by the likes of Femi Ojudu and Bimbo Daramola.
“Certainly the conduct of these desperate aspirants falls short of the minimum standards expected of anyone that professes progressive ideals. We urge our teeming supporters and loyal party members not to be discouraged by this despicable act. This surely shall pass, and better days are ahead. Our collective rescue mission has indeed begun”, Fayemi stated in the press release.
But Daramola who worked as Fayemi’s Director-General in 2014 has replied his ex-boss, saying it was unfair to link him to events that led to the disruption of the APC governorship primaries.
The former member of the House of Representatives in a Facebook post ,said while he has restrained from speaking out against the minister, but had to clear his reputation.
He opined that Fayemi’s position on the inconclusive primaries was based on a false belief that he is popular among delegates.
Daramola said : “I thought we already passed this stage in our quest for political power.That things went awry yesterday further confirmed that a lot of people still operate within the circumference of inordinate assumptions.
“Not only that I totally condemn the unfortunate incident which I find reprehensible. But something must have triggered that, that should be of interest to all beyond the press release where two paragraphs were devoted to tar me black!
“Having condemned this incident in strongest terms because of the remote and far reaching implications on our people, party and state have it’s about time to change the narrative if our pristine identity must be restored and this is the fulcrum on why I am in this race.
“For the press release that now describes me as a man driven by lust for power ; it is a shock for me that a man who has known me forty years, a relationship that has witnessed so many episodic moments, some good, many bad and many unseen moments.
“I reiterate without mincing words and I am sure both the CPS and minister know that it’s too late in the day for me to acquire an image that is not mine, I can bet it. The allegations are most unfounded”.
Also the Ekiti Rebirth Organization (ERO), the campaign arm of APC governorship aspirant, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, condemned the disruption of governorship primary.
“When they said they were going to cripple the state, we did not know what they meant was to attempt to forcefully hijack the ticket. Now that we know better, we assure they will meet stiff resistance from our people” said Gboyega Adeoye, ERO spokesperson.
Adeoye said: “Dr Kayode Fayemi during his declaration vowed that he was ready to use every underhand means to secure the ticket but our people have come out to say a resounding NO! No amount of intimidation, brigandage and crude display of wealth will stop the people’s will to install a fresh hand in our state.
“We are ready for Fayemi, we have always campaigned for a transparent primary eection because we have the people on our side. With the reaction of the people to the attempt to compromise the process, Fayemi now knows he does not have Ekiti people in his pocket”.
……Gov. Fayose slams APC
Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose has described APC as a party of hypocrites. He mocked the party for failing to conduct a peaceful primary.
“The whole world can now see the so-called progressives. Ordinary primary election, the APC could not hold here in Ekiti. These people are hypocrites and enemies of democracy, masquerading as progressives. Their party is a house divided against itself, it’s center will never hold”, Fayose said in a tweet.
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