The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Dayo Adeyeye has urged the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose to back down on his move to contest for the presidential seat under the party as such endeavour would only amount to a waste of time.
Adeyeye said the PDP has zoned the presidential ticket to the north.
The National Publicity Secretary’s warning came after Fayose came out publicly to declare his ambition to contest the 2019 presidential election. While declaring his interest earlier, the governor had said he was going straight to the presidential villa.
Fayose who sent out letters to some leaders of the party, intimating them of his decision to contest the 2019 presidential election, also boasted that he would oust President Muhammadu Buhari through the ballots.
“My dear leader, it is with deep sense of responsibility that I write to inform you of my intention to seek the ticket/mandate of our party to contest the 2019 presidential election, considering your support and commitment towards our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, it becomes imperative to keep you informed and seek your support,” Fayose wrote in a letter to the party elders.
“This ambition is however without prejudice to our party’s position, but in the overall interest of the party and our country.
“I urge that all hands should be on deck to ensure victory in our quest to return to the Presidential Villa, Abuja in 2019.”
But, the party’s position, according to Adeyeye is that a non-northerner would not be allowed to run on PDP’s presidential ticket because the post has been zoned to the north.
Adeyeye noted that Fayose is free to vie for the party’s national chairmanship because the seat has been zoned to the South. He said, being a prominent member of PDP and equally being present at the meeting when the zoning was made, Governor Fayose ought not to seek to disrespect the decision of the party.
“The highest organ of the party, which is the national convention, zoned the presidential ticket of the PDP to the North. That has not changed. The same national convention zoned the position of the national chairman to the South. The convention has yet to change any of these two,” Adeyeye said.
“That is the supreme organ of the party. Those decisions are binding on all members of the party. Nobody can alter these decisions.
“The governor is a member of the party and was at the convention where these decisions were taken. As a leader of the party, one expected the governor to respect the party and its decisions.
“If someone in such an office is breaking the decisions of the party, what do you expect from the rank and file?”