The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has confessed he made a terrible “mistake” by introducing Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to the Peoples Democratic Party and supporting him to become the National Chairman of the party.
Fayose confessed to the “blunder”, which he said has brought the party to its current and seemingly unending leadership crisis when he hosted the campaign team of national chairmanship aspirant, Raymond Dokpesi, in Ado Ekiti.
This was stated in a statement issued by Dokpesi’s media aide, Omor Bazuaye.
This was even as Fayose expressed confidence in Dokpesi’s capacity to lead the party if elected as the National Chairman.
Fayose, who had joined the campaign from the border town of Ita Ogbolu in Ondo, leading it to Ado-Ekiti, apologised before his party leaders, taking responsibility for his action.
He said his experience with Sheriff has taught him a bitter lesson in politics: never to front or stick out his neck that deep any more for any person.
He said: “We worked for Ali Modu Sheriff.
“It was a mistake and I take responsibility.
“I am not going to carry anyone on my head anymore.”
Fayose said what is happening in the PDP was regrettable, lamenting attempts by few persons to muzzle the opinion of majority of others.
He said rather than seek solution to the crisis, many prefer to distract the party, paying lip service to the peace process.
Fayose is however optimistic that PDP’s dry bone would rise again.
He said: “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.
“PDP will triumph and rise again.”
He said that is why he sees what Dokpesi is doing as a new beginning for the PDP.
Fayose said though he has no doubt that Dokpesi has what it takes to lead the PDP, his position is that God should provide a leader amongst all the candidates that have shown interest in the job.
Fayose wants the vacancy for the National Chairman seat to be keenly contested as against a situation where a few persons would sit down somewhere and decide.
He said delegates from Ekiti State would come to Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the party’s National Convention on August 17, 2016 with open hearts.
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