Presidential Aide, Ojudu, Joins Ekiti Guber Race
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu on Friday formally joined the Ekiti governorship race, appealing to the members of All Progressives Party (APC) in the state to be united for the success of the party in the July 14 election.
Ojudu, a former member of the seventh national assembly who advised party members and aspirants to refrain from back stabbing and character assassination said such was fueling disaffection within the party ranks.
He spoke Friday while unveiling his intent to vie for the 2018 governorship poll at the APC state Secretariat in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital.
The Presidential aide said, ” We are all friends and one big family in APC. Our common concern in the party is the progress and development of Ekiti.
“As such we must work together as a one body and make unity our watchword to achieve are common goal of returning the party to power again in the state come July 14.
“We should support and rally round our aspirants. We shall fight this battle together and we shall conquer together”.
He assured that the alleged attempts by Governor Ayodele Fayose to rule Ekiti State by implanting his stooge as the governor would be foiled, saying the three and half years under Fayose has been disastrous in terms of alleged looting of the state’s treasury and mismanagement of state funds.
The event witnessed massive turn out of party members and Ojudu’s admirers, who swarmed the party secretariat and the Ajilosun area of the capital city.
Addressing the leaders of the party and crowd of supporters who thronged the venue to witness the event Ojudu restated his commitment to the ideals of true progressives.
He denied having any crisis with the former Governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
He said: “We had information, I mean veracious ones about how Fayose had been acquiring government property, particularly lands to construct property in Ado Ekiti.
“As we speak, he has about 20 property in various sections of Ado Ekiti. All these we are going to recover from him when we get to power.
“But our party needs to thread cautiously to be able to defeat this cunning man. We must be able to hold secret because he had succeeded in infiltrating our ranks. He has planted people in our ranks to leak vital information to him, so we must be cautious.
“I know that the challenges of the recent years have galvanized our people to be resolute to fight the battle ahead. The next election is a must-win for APC.
“Governor Fayose is planning to rule the state by proxy by attempting to put his surrogate on the governorship seat. Let me assure you, we are going to foil such attempt.
“Let me say this, I have all it takes to liberate Ekiti from the slavery they were put into by Fayose. I had once defeated him in a senatorial contest and I will do same again if given the opportunity”, he added.
Promising to work with whoever emerges at the primary to ensure that the party triumph in the July 14 governorship election, he said “They said I can defect if I am not picked at the primary, never I will never have anything to do with the PDP. Even if I die and they cover me with PDP’s cloth, I will wake and burn the cloth before dying again.
” Win or lose, I will remain a progressive till I die. My father, grandfather were members of Action Group when they were alive that is why I cannot deviate from family the tradition”.
Ojudu said he had dedicated his life taking care of the poor being a product of poverty, promising to fight to banish poverty out of the land if elected governor.
“Today, we are facing serious challenges of hunger, poverty and squalor . We must rescue our people and if you give me the ticket, be sure that I will defeat Fayose”.
The Acting Chairman of the party, Mrs Kemi Olaleye, assured that the party will conduct a free, fair and credible primary that will be acceptable to all contestants.
She said the party was determined to win the impending election to deliver real dividend of democracy to the people.
