..Makinde abandoned Oni, Eleka
…Repositioning Committee recommends Akerele, dumps Ajijola.
…Fayose sticks with Kolawole.
…Other Aspirants remain inconsequential.
October 22, 2021.
Today, 22nd October, 2021, is the deadline for the purchase of the PDP Gubernatorial nomination forms, after an extension of the date by one week at the ‘request’ of Governor Seyi Makinde, who has vested interest in who becomes the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Ekiti State because of what appears a supremacy battle with the former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State on who leads the PDP in the South West of Nigeria.
It should be noted that Ekiti PDP was fractionalised into two. The PDP National headquarters and the Courts validated the Party Executives and Structures of the faction led by Fayose. Knowing fully well that this structures will throw Bisi Kolawole that was sponsored by Fayose up at Primaries, the other faction led by Olujimi, and remotely by Makinde, have designed all the strategies and plots to dissolve the Fayose’s Structures and take the party away from him ahead of the January 2022 Gubernatorial Primaries. However, the Zoning of the PDP National Chairman to the North, days back, has terminated those plots, especially as Oyinlola, who would be hatchet ‘National Chairman’ loses out. This is a technical victory for Fayose and Kolawole group against their rivals!
The Repositioning/Makinde group got a reprieve when the idea of Direct Primaries came up in the amendment to the Electoral act. But the fact remains that *whoever owns the Party Structures determines the outcome of the Direct Primaries.* ( This will be discussed in details in my subsequent article from the perspective of an experienced participant in the Direct Primaries over time). This implies that Kolawole will still win the Direct Primaries should the amendment gets the endorsement of the President before the January 2022 Primaries, except a miracle happens and the Party Structures slip away from Fayose!
It was in the realization of this reality that the Makindes held a meeting two weeks ago and resolved that their faction will present only one Aspirant to face Fayose/Kolawole at the Primaries. The meeting directed the Aspirants in their fold not to obtain nomination forms until they hear from Makinde. (Don’t mind the long lists of PDP Gubernatorial Aspirants that have obtained forms as majority are pretenders. I had earlier written that we have pretenders and contenders among the PDP Aspirants. Hence, I restrict my analysis to the contenders among them.)
Olujimi didn’t obtain the nomination forms in obedient to the resolution of the meeting but Oni and Eleka went ahead to obtain the forms. Makinde got angry and turned his back against Oni and Eleka. Makinde subsequently set up a 7-man Committee from the Repositioning faction to recommend three Aspirants for him to choose from and the report of the committee was submitted on Wednesday. Yinka Akerele was recommended as number one while Ajijola that had already defeated Akerele in their shadow election was ranked behind Akerele! Of course Ajijola refused to be part of the committee and has promised to slug it out with whoever in the Primaries.
Time will tell who eventually becomes Makinde anointed Aspirant that will square up with Fayose anointed Aspirant Bisi Kolawole, money for money, connections for connections, and force for force. It is however noteworthy that as at close of day yesterday, Akerele has not bought the nomination forms but can still do today being the last day!
Whoever emerges PDP candidate will surely meet his Political Waterloo at the June 2022 general elections that will throw up the APC Candidate as the winner of the Gubernatorial elections.
