# Ekiti PDP weeds 20 members from 2014 governorship race # The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ekiti State, has pruned its 29 aspirants for the 2014 governorship election in the state to nine. The party was said to have taken this step in a bid to bring the number of the aspirants to a manageable size as well as make the job of selecting “the most credible candidate for the 2014 governorship election an easier one.” According to a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, by the chairman of the Ekiti PDP, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, the state working committee (SWC) of the party arrived at the decision in one of its recent meetings. According to the statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media to Ogundipe, Mr Femi Omolusi, “the State Working Committee of the party took the decision in its bid to select a viable and serious- minded candidate that would defeat the incumbent, Dr Kayode Fayemi in the poll.” The Ekiti PDP boss said in the statement that “the party needs an election winner, a grassroots politician and somebody who has the pedigree and intellectual capacity to govern the state.” The statement said: “During the SEC meeting, which held last week, it was ratified that only nine governorship aspirants have a good record within the party, sound education, integrity and ability to win an election in the state.” The party, however, did not give the list of those weeded out of the race nor the nine aspirants that made the list, but hinted that a review of the list of the aspirants was an ongoing process. On the issue of consensus that has become controversial in the party, Ogundipe said it was only the national secretariat of the party that would decide on the process to be adopted in choosing the party’s standard bearer. He hailed all the aspirants for their efforts in mobilising people for the party, saying, “The effort of the aspirants in galvanising support for our great party is laudable. They have been going round giving messages of hope to our members and assuring them that our party will return to power in the state next year.” Ogundipe said the party would provide a level playing field for all aspirants and that the process through which the party’s candidate would emerge would be transparent and fair to all. Among the people that have signified intention to contest the election on the banner of the party are former Governor Ayo Fayose, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, Mr Olufemi Bamisile, Chief Abiodun Aluko, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Chief Bisi Omoyeni, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade; Chief Ropo Ogunbolude, Chief Segun Olanrewaju. Others are Dr Peter Obafemi, Mr Bimbo Owolabi, Mr Bodunde Adeyanju, Mrs Abiodun Olujimi, Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Mr Davies Olaosebikan, Otunba Reuben Famuyibo among others.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:36:09 +0000
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