PDP South-West Congress Election Was A Scam – Fayose
Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of conducting a sham South-West Congress in Osun State.
On April 12, the PDP held its zonal congress, with Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, a candidate backed by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, emerging as the party’s new South-West Zonal Chairman.
Arapaja received 343 votes, defeating Eddy Olafeso, a supporter of ex-Governor Fayose, who received 330 votes.
Fayose, however, said he conceded and acknowledged the result during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, not because the procedure was open, but because the PDP must not lose its fight to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the South-West.
Although the PDP currently controls Oyo State, with Governor Seyi Makinde at the helm, the APC controls Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, Ondo, and Osun.
“I have conceded, I conceded not because they won. I conceded because the PDP is a bigger picture. I want to say that conceding does not amount to defeat, it is sheer exhibiting leadership,” he said.
“Take a look at the result and the characters behind the result before I will tell you the issue. I am on one side alone; I have on the side of Governor Makinde, two former governors – Segun Oni and Olagunsoye Oyinlola. They have on their side seven deputy governors and two speakers and serving senators.
“The results in quotes, Arapaja scored 343. My candidate Eddy Olafeso scored 330, a difference of 13 votes. I’m glad because that is a show of strength. Whether the result is right or wrong, the world can see in the one-man army that has faced them all and without rigging, they lost.”
Fayose responded affirmatively when asked if the election was rigged, saying, “Very clearly.”
The ex-Ekiti governor said he went to court to get an order preventing the PDP from holding its congress in Oyo State because he was afraid of violence.
He said that the violence came from Oyo to Osun on 200 buses with Oyo license plates, and that they blocked the exercise’s location.
“They came with cutlasses and weapons all night, it was public knowledge,” Fayose said.
Senator Chris Anyanwu of Imo State, the collation officer, was accused of making mistakes when counting the votes cast.
Despite his doubts about the zonal congress, Fayose said he would not join those who say the PDP would not move forward.
“They came with cutlasses and weapons all night, it was public knowledge,” Fayose said.
Senator Chris Anyanwu of Imo State, the collation officer, was accused of making mistakes when counting the votes cast.
Despite his doubts about the zonal congress, Fayose said he would not join those who say the PDP would not move forward.
“For me, as to that election, it was a scam but I must agree as a leader of the PDP. I have been working for this party. I am one of the voices that cannot be forgotten in the PDP.
“And I will not sit down here and say because of 13 votes, because of manipulation the party must not move forward,” he added.
