In a rare show of sportsmanship, Afenifere chieftain and one of the leading governorship aspirants of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Dayo Adeyeye, on Thursday, publicly announced his commitment to the success of the party in the June 21, 2014 governorship election.
The duo of Adeyeye and the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr Ayodele Fayose, addressed supporters of the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) in Ado-Ekiti , where they declared their unity in their party’s bid to defeat Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 election.
Adeyeye, who had before Fayose’s arrival addressed his supporters on the need to remain in the PDP, said; “As loyal party men, we must abide by the decision of our party leaders and work for the success of the party.”
While addressing the crowd of supporters, Fayose, who described Adeyeye as “a formidable figure in the PDP, who cannot be ignored,” while speaking at the reconciliatory meeting, appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Adeyeye as a member of the Federal Executive Council to replace Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, who resigned recently to contest the party’s governorship ticket.
At meeting held at the secretariat of the PAAM in Ado Ekiti, thousands of members of PAAM and those of the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation and many other members of the party witnessed the formal reconciliation.
At the meeting, which saw the coming together of the two major groups in Ekiti PDP, they pledged to unite for the sake of the PDP in the election and promised to join forces to “dislodge the APC from power in the state for the sake of Ekiti and the Ekiti people.”
Addressing journalists; Adeyeye who called on other aggrieved aspirants to sheath their sword said; “nobody can be more aggrieved than me among the aspirants on the conduct of the primaries. This is because we had worked very hard to build the most formidable structure in the PDP, and with our structure, we were sure of wining in a free and fair primary election. But as a party man, I have to forget the past and work for the emergence of our candidate at the poll.”
On the agitation for zoning of the governorship ticket to the South, Adeyeye said; “I was one of those who fought vigorously for zoning of the governorship to the South, but the authorities, I mean the powers that be, didn’t see it that way.
“As things are, 2018 is not a long period of time and I am sure the South Agenda will be realised then.
“Therefore, we in PAAM have resolved that we will not join any other party because we believe if we come together and win the election, everybody will be brought on board. So to us, there is no victor, no vanquished.”
