Ekiti Election: Accord Sacks State Executive For Backing PDP Candidate

The national leadership of the Accord Party, AP, has suspended the Ekiti State Executive, led by Chief Abiola Odeoba for allegedly displaying overt support for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the July 14 governorship election

Apart from dissolving the State Executive outrightly and putting members on indefinite suspension, the party also meted out a similar punishment on the leader of the party and former governorship aspirant, Akogun Banjo Ojo for alleged anti-party activities.

Odeoba and Ojo had on Thursday led the entire state exco to the mega rally organized by the PDP in Ado Ekiti and declared open support for Olusola.

This was as the coalition of 14 political parties under the aegis of Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA), led by a prominent politician and former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, had endorsed the candidate of Accord Party, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko for the Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

In a letter dated 6th July 2018 and addressed to the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the party set up a 7-man Interim Committee led by Dr. S.O. Ogunniyi, to pilot affairs of the party in the state.

The letter was signed by the national chairman of the party, Hon. Muhammad Nalado and Secretary, Dr. Adebukola Abiola-Ajaja.

Also addressing party members in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, reaffirming the party’s commitment to Aluko’s candidacy and his Deputy, the trio of Nalado, Ajaja and the Southwest Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Samuel Babarinde, denied ever entering into any merger or alliance deal with the PDP.

Nalado, who was represented by the National Deputy Chairman (North), Alhaji Yusuf Saulawa, said: “Surveyor Aluko remains our candidate has met all the criteria. Those who thought they could trade with our ticket will be disappointed in the end.

“The action displayed by these politicians was unethical. It surprised us that they could turn our ticket into a business venture just to make money.

“Surveyor Aluko collected nomination form, he paid N3 million and he has been spending to galvanise supports for the party, so at no time did we abandon him, he remains our candidate and nothing has changed.

“Time has come for Ekiti people to embrace Accord Party, because Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the present governor, Ayodele Fayose have disappointed the people. They must embrace change and when I say change, I am not referring to the kind of bad change APC brought to our people”.

The National Secretary of the party, Dr. Ajaja, said the punitive action didn’t connote outright expulsion of the erring members, saying the party is ready to reabsorb them if they retrace their steps and show enough penitence.

In his response, the candidate of the party, Surveyor Aluko, stated emphatically that at no time did the party take the decision to back the candidate of the PDP.

“The open support for PDP was taken by Chief Odeoba and Banji Ojo and this amounted to anti-party activity. So, the punitive action was well deserved and was taken to save our party”, he added.

CAA, in a letter signed by Ekiti Coordinator, Engr. Patrick Akindulu said they took the action based on Aluko’s track records of integrity.