ABIODUN NEJO
A coalition of 14 political parties has endorsed the candidate of Accord, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, for Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Ekiti State.
The coalition, under the aegis of Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA), led by a former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, in a letter signed by it’s Ekiti Coordinator, Engr. Patrick Akindulu, said it took the action based on Aluko’s track records of integrity, which he said the political organization stands for and venerates so well.
This was as Accord National Leadership on Sunday suspended indefinitely the Ekiti State Executive, led by Chief Abiola Odeoba for allegedly displaying support for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof Kolapo Olusola.
The party also suspended indefinitely the party leader and former governorship aspirant, Akogun Banjo Ojo for alleged anti-party activities.
Odeoba and Ojo had last Thursday led the entire state exco to the mega rally organized by the PDP in Ado Ekiti and declared open support for Olusola.
Consequently, Accord set up a seven-man Interim Committee, led by Dr. S.O. Ogunniyi, to pilot affairs of the party in the state, according to a letter dated July 6 signed by the party National Chairman, Hon. Muhammad Nalado and Secretary, Dr. Adebukola Abiola-Ajaja and addressed to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.
While addressing the party members in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, Nalado, Ajaja and the Southwest Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Samuel Babarinde, who denied ever entering into any merger or alliance with the PDP, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to Aluko’s candidacy and his deputy.
Nalado, represented by the National Deputy Chairman (North), Alhaji Yusuf Saulawa, said: “Surveyor Aluko remains our candidate having met all the criteria. Those who thought they could trade with our ticket will be disappointed in the end.
“The action displayed by those 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 Ekiti people to embrace Accord, 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, Aluko, stated
emphatically that at no time did the party take the decision to back
the candidate of the PDP.
The Accord candidate said: “The open support for PDP was taken by Odeoba and Ojo and this amounted to anti-party activity. So, the punitive action was well deserved and was taken to save our party”.
