PDP: Fayose, Secondus clash over Ekiti leadership tussle

There were strong indications that the immediate past Governor of Ekit State, Ayodele Fayose, and the National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, may have begun a subtle political battle ahead of 2019 general election in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the leadership tussle that broke out between factions of the party in Ekiti State may be the cause of the rift between the duo.

While Fayose is currently engaged in a fierce political battle for the control of the PDP in Ekiti State, there are feelers that Secondus may have thrown his weight behind those who plotted the alleged removal of the former governor as the leader of the party in the Southwest state following the loss of the state to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the gubernatorial election held last July.

Party sources say the national leadership of the party’s decision to support those moving against Fayose is being rationalized as the provision of the PDP constitution which allegedly prescribed the most senior elective office holder in a state as the ‘leader’ of the party in any state. “This is where Secondus recognized Senator Biodun Olujimi as the leader of the party in Ekiti State,” a source explained.

The Nation gathered that the Olujimi camp may have sought the understanding of Secondus and other party leaders before embarking on the move to change the status quo in Ekiti PDP. Reliable sources claimed that the move was initiated by a coalition of some prominent Abuja based Ekiti politicians and many more home based politicians, especially members of the Ekiti House of Assembly.

The Nation, November 11, 2018

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