One of the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, has stepped down for Prince Dayo Adeyeye, according to a report by Daily Independent.
Olujimi represents Ekiti-South in the National Assembly. She announced her withdrawal shortly before the commencement of voting by the delegates at the Eagle Event Centre, venue of the exercise.
Prince Dayo Adeyeye is contesting the primary to become PDP’s candidate for the gubernatorial election.
The announcement elicited a loud applause from the PDP members as she revealed she reached the decision for the progress of the party.
She said, “For the benefits of our party I offer myself as a ITI sacrificial lamb to make our party great. I am collapsing my structure for Prince Dayo Adeyeye.
“Know there must be sacrificial lamb. As a leader, we must take those steps that will correct the ways our party is handling some issues and the only way we can reposition our party is by allowing those with broad minds to be in position of authorities.
“We don’t want anybody to be lorded over us. We have to be committed to the Party by committing ourselves to democratic ideals and spirit of justice,” he said.
“Prince Adeyeye is from the South, the two are from the zone to produce the next governor. The Governor told us this is my anointed, we have taken our position and we are waiting.”
She expressed confidence in Okowa to be able to do the right thing. Immediately, the leader of Governorship Primary of PDP in Ekiti state and Governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, asked Senator Olujimi and her agent to step down from the stage where they sat.
He said that her withdrawal had reduced the aspirants to two.
“This means that only two aspirants are contesting.”
Okowa said 1,966 delegates are voting to elect the party’s flag bearer. Addressing the delegates before the commencement of voting, he promised that his team would organise free, fair and credible primary for the party.
Okowa, who arrived the venue of the event at 1.22pm with his team, also commended the arrangement put in place for the exercise. Casting of votes has started with the present executive members of the party.
Okowa, however, sieved former members of the exco from those to vote when they filed out to vote thereby allowing only 28 present exco members to vote.
Source: News Agencies
