One
of the 18 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in
Ekiti State, Senator Gbenga Aluko, has warned that the conduct of
primaries to pick the party’s candidate will create crisis that will
divide the party in the state.
Aluko,who stated this while speaking with journalists after he submitted his nomination forms at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, said it would be better for the party to have a consensus candidate instead of going to primaries which has been fixed for March 15.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed June 21 for the governorship election in the state.
Addressing the issue of consensus candidate, Aluko, who noted that he was not afraid of primaries, added that the notion of getting a consensus candidate was canvassed by
President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said the ideas was aimed at ensuring that the party remained united and strong as it engages the opposition in the governorship election.
Recalling the outcome of meetings between the President and members of the party from the South-West and particularly Ekiti State, Aluko said, “I can guaranty you that if we go ahead to conduct primaries today, we would have five different primaries and we would have different results from different aspirants.
“Nobody is scared of loosing primaries. I will go back to my job if I don’t get the party’s ticket.
“If the president says today that I should step down and support a candidate I will and I expect that it should be vice versa.”
Aluko, who was the only PDP senator from the South-West in 1999, said it was untrue that Jonathan had picked a candidate for the party ahead of the primaries and election.
He noted that an aspirant, whom he described as the only person campaigning against primaries, suddenly changed his position on the consensus after his move to emerge the consensus candidate failed.
Aluko lamented the mismanagement of funds to the state noting that the state was now in “total darkness” and that “witches and wizards” have since taken over the state at night.
He dispelled insinuations that he was not a serious aspirant, saying “I have the best plan for Ekiti among the 18 aspirants and I can also say that none of the aspirants has the kind of investment in the state like me. So I have a lot at stake in Ekiti State.”
Aluko,who stated this while speaking with journalists after he submitted his nomination forms at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, said it would be better for the party to have a consensus candidate instead of going to primaries which has been fixed for March 15.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed June 21 for the governorship election in the state.
Addressing the issue of consensus candidate, Aluko, who noted that he was not afraid of primaries, added that the notion of getting a consensus candidate was canvassed by
President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said the ideas was aimed at ensuring that the party remained united and strong as it engages the opposition in the governorship election.
Recalling the outcome of meetings between the President and members of the party from the South-West and particularly Ekiti State, Aluko said, “I can guaranty you that if we go ahead to conduct primaries today, we would have five different primaries and we would have different results from different aspirants.
“Nobody is scared of loosing primaries. I will go back to my job if I don’t get the party’s ticket.
“If the president says today that I should step down and support a candidate I will and I expect that it should be vice versa.”
Aluko, who was the only PDP senator from the South-West in 1999, said it was untrue that Jonathan had picked a candidate for the party ahead of the primaries and election.
He noted that an aspirant, whom he described as the only person campaigning against primaries, suddenly changed his position on the consensus after his move to emerge the consensus candidate failed.
Aluko lamented the mismanagement of funds to the state noting that the state was now in “total darkness” and that “witches and wizards” have since taken over the state at night.
He dispelled insinuations that he was not a serious aspirant, saying “I have the best plan for Ekiti among the 18 aspirants and I can also say that none of the aspirants has the kind of investment in the state like me. So I have a lot at stake in Ekiti State.”
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