Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s threat to quit the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday has raised a few eyebrows.
Governor Fayose’s threat to exit the party is coming exactly eight days to his handing over to governor-elect, Chief Kayode Fayemi.
The governor was quoted to have threatened to renounce his “membership of the PDP anytime from now,” adding that, “after consultations, I will speak clearly to Nigerians.”
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Reports had claimed that Fayose’s planned exit from the PDP stemmed from the outcome of the special national convention of the opposition party that produced former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential flag bearer of the party.
The governor, who had in the past declared his intention to run for the Presidency in 2019, however aborted the bid after his preferred candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, lost to candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the governor had hoped that Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, would emerge the presidential candidate of the PDP at the convention that held on Saturday and Sunday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Fayose himself told journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Monday that, “We have no regret aligning with Governor Wike to support Governor Tambuwal for the presidential ticket and no apologies either.
“We kept the party alive and strong when most men became ladies. We never compromised. If any group feels it can do it alone, we will see how far they can go,” he said.
However, a former former director of media of the PDP, Deji Adeyanju, has claimed that the real reason Governor Fayose is threatening to leave the opposition party is because he was hoping Governor Tambuwal would emerge the party’s presidential candidate so he could be picked as his running mate.
Adeyanju said, “Because Fayose’s plan to be Vice President didn’t work and their plan failed, he’s now making noise.”
Governor Fayose would be handing over to Fayemi on October 16 as his second term in office would eventually come to an end on that day.
He’s currently facing a N1.3 billion fraud case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).