Ekiti 2018: My choice not final, Olusola tells aggrieved aspirants

The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Olusola Kolapo, who was recently endorsed as sole candidate by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ekiti State chapter, has assured that the primary election of the party is not foreclosed

Meanwhile, his adoption is already generating ripples within the party, as other aspirants including Senator Biodun Olujimi, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, Ambassador Dare Bejide and the immediate past Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Ekiti State, Mr Owoseni Ajayi kicked against his emergence.

But Olusola encouraged other aspirants that they have the opportunity to contest for the party primary coming at a latter date. He said his adoption was not unconstitutional since he’s not yet the final candidate, adding, “there should be no bad blood.”

He stated this yesterday in Ikere-Ekiti, his country home when he stormed the town for a special prayer to aid his gubernatorial ambition.The Deputy Governor, while addressing the crowd that attended his prayer meeting, however boasted that his choice as preferred candidate for the 2018 gubernatorial poll by critical stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and backed by Governor Fayose, is a signal of the continuation of good governance championed by Fayose in the state.

He urged the people to support him so that the developmental strides of governor Fayose in the town and across Ekiti could continue.The prayer meeting was attended by the newly installed Chairman of the state’s Council of traditional rulers, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju who is also the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, the Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Abdulmumini Orisagbemi and top functionaries of the Ekiti State government.

Olusola proceeded to the palace of his town’s monarch, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adu Alagbado, where another tumultuous crowd of Ikere people welcomed him.

The Ogoga, who prayed for the success of Olusola’s ambition, said, “we appreciate Governor Fayose for giving us one of our illustrious sons. Olusola is a man of integrity and very humble man of God. We had prayed for years for the next governor to come from Ikere-Ekiti and governor Fayose told us he would pray for a direction. We appreciate him for heeding to God’s directives and giving us Olusola.”

Fielding questions from newsmen on his emergence as the preferred candidate, Olusola said, “it’s normal for a candidate to be adopted by a caucus of a party, but mine is far beyond a caucus arrangement.

What I mean is that all the state local government party chairmen, all serving state commissioners, councilors and ward chairmen and ‘who is who’ in the party have come together to adopt me as their preferred candidate; it’s a noteworthy development. So, we appreciate our party leaders and everyone for finding me worthy as their candidate.

“My emergence does not foreclose other aspirants from contesting; we still have the party primaries ahead. We have a constitution that is to be followed. However, I am very sure of emerging the party’s overall candidate at the primaries because I have the support of all the leaders and members, He said.