Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has announced that he has written a letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, notifying the elder statesman of his intention to retrieve his N10 million donation to the construction of the Obasanjo presidential library.
Governor Fayose, who made this remark while speaking at the opening of South West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting, in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said he wants the money “returned with interest.”
According to Fayose, governors in the country then were made to donate N10m each in 2005 to the Obasanjo Presidential Library project, saying “I want my money back.”
Fayose said: “We were made to pay N10 million each as governors, for the Obasanjo library in 2005. I’ve written him to return our money. He should return it with interest.”
Fayose said it was uncharitable for Chief Obasanjo to deride the PDP he said “made him a presidential candidate from prison,” and lamented that “they may have cornered our party one way or the other but he who laughs last laughs best.”
He said it was unfortunate that leaders of the party were afraid to speak up against what he described as “injustice and oppression” against it by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its agents.
“Why are our leaders afraid? Let the leaders be leaders indeed, don’t be afraid of the APC. PDP is a petty thief but APC is a big armed robber. Most of our leaders are too complacent, they are afraid to talk,” Fayose said.
Fayose, who is the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, reiterated his support for Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, as the chairman of the PDP, saying God would soon move against those oppressing the party.
The governor, who described the Sheriff’s faction as ‘moles’ and ‘political kidnappers’ within the party, said “they are kidnappers, because when you took what does not belong to you, then you are a kidnapper. To me, I stand with Makarfi, because the judiciary has no reason to appoint the chairman and executive members for party owners.”
In the communiqué read by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor after the meeting, the party passed confidence vote in Makarfi leadership and also declared support for the party’s appeal against the judgement of the Appeal Court, which validated the Sheriff-led Executive.
At the meeting attended by many dignitaries, including the faction’s national vice chairman, South West, Chief Eddy Olafeso, former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel; Senator Iyiola Omisore, former PDP Deputy Chairman, Chief Bode George, former PDP National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo; PDP Spokesperson, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a member of the House of Representative from Ogun, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Professor Olu Agbi, the meeting passed a vote of confidence on the Makarfi-led faction of the meeting.
Among other things, the meeting also said “the leaders of the PDP in the South-West repose confidence on the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State as the leader of the party in the South-West as well as the Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum in Nigeria.
“The South-West leaders hereby recognise and pass vote of confidence on the South-West Zonal Executive under the leadership of Dr Eddy Olafeso.”
“South-West PDP under the leadership of Governor Ayodele Fayose will continue to pursue the ideal of peace and harmony in the South-West and the entire nation in full consultation with our leaders and members.”
Also at the meeting were chairmen of the party in Ogun, Chief Sikirudeen Ogundele; Ondo, Clement Faboyede; Ekiti, Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase; Oyo, Muraina Ajibola; Lagos, Mr Moshood Salvador and Osun, Mr Bayo Faforiji; a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Chief Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Senator Ayo Adeseun, former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, Honourable Kayode Amusan among others.
Speaking earlier, Dr Olafeso said those present at the meeting was a pointer to where the strength of PDP lied, saying “Ekiti is the land of generals like Fabunmi of Okemesi, General Adeyinka Adebayo and ‘General Osoko (Fayose), who is the only notable voice of the opposition in the country.”
He said “they said we are dead but are we going to allow that? We will work hard to ensure that the wounds of the party are healed and normalcy returns.”
