Ekiti Guber: Anger Over, Olujimi Leaves Adeyeye In The Lurch, Embraces Olusola On Terms
The Oasis Reporters
June 13, 2018
If there is one smart politician in Ekiti State with the long view, it must be Senator Biodun Olujimi who made her anger very open over Governor Fayose’s overt support for the new kid on the bloc deputy governor, Kolapo Olusola Eleka, an erudite professor of Building Technology at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
She too wanted to be governor, but Fayose’s mind was made up to present to the Ekiti people, a scholar and builder.
In anger, Olujimi stepped down, and to spite Fayose, she backed another co-contestant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, making it a two -horse race.
Adeyeye lost in the primaries, but with a significant minority vote. He insulted and warned Gov. Fayose never to call him on the phone again. Then continued his political journey to the All Progressive Congress, APC, where he actually came from for fat pick of choices as Minister and later, People’s Democratic Party, PDP spokesman amongst many other high profile appointments.
Olujimi was expected to have gone with him.
But no. With her tongue she counted her teeth and came back to strike a sweetheart deal, not before carpeting Adeyeye, saying that he “should have availed himself with the opportunities of challenging the outcome of the PDP governorship primary election in court instead of decamping to the APC”.
Olujimi, who had stepped down for Adeyeye at the venue of the PDP primary election in Ado-Ekiti, demanded that the party’s ticket for the senatorial election in 2019 be handed to her automatically as part of conditions for supporting Olusola.
She also requested for immediate reconciliation meeting between her group and Olusola.
Olujimi, in a letter dated May 30, 2018, which she addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, declared that she had decided to remain in the PDP and had directed her supporters to do same.
The letter was titled: “Towards the electoral victory of Prof. Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola of the PDP at the July 14, 2018 gubernatorial election” was signed by 31 members of her team.
Some of the signatories to the letter, who signed on behalf of Biodun Olujimi Team are Chief Olubunmi Olugbade, Chief Mosu Aguda, Sanya Adesua, Hon. Fajana Ojo-Ade, among others.
Apart from the South Senatorial ticket, Olujimi also demanded the allocation of certain percentage of elective positions, sharing of appointments at federal, state and local levels.
In her demands, Olujimi said: “That the Senate slot of Ekiti South Senatorial District be conceded to Senator Biodun Olujimi unconditionally.
“That all elective positions shall be shared between the two groups on an agreed percentage basis.
“That all appointments from state to ward levels shall be shared between the two groups on an agreed basis. That all federal appointments shall be shared between the two groups on an agreed basis,” she said.
In his reaction, Prof Olusola said: “Politics is about negotiation, accommodation and collaboration. There is nothing wrong in dialogue as the need may arise.
“Our governor, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose and myself have great respect for Senator Olujimi and other leaders of the party and we will do everything humanly possible to make sure that we all work together,” he said.
What a smooth negotiator, one may add.
