Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has denied supporting candidates that President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Convention.
There has been crisis in the ruling party over the choice of the next National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.
It had been reported how President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as National Chairman created rift in the party.
But as parts of move to settle this, Buhari had met with governors at Aso Rock on Wednesday after which an agreement was reportedly reached on consensus.
A governor from the North West told Daily Trust that there was no objection when the endorsement of Adamu was raised. He said the issue of the national secretary was also resolved.
A top source, while corroborating the governor’s statement, said during the villa meeting, the governors aligned themselves with President Buhari’s position on Adamu.
“They aligned with the president’s position on Adamu as the national chairman while all other positions are as per the zoning earlier approved by the president,” the source said.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said a truce has been reached to fill the NWC positions through consensus.
He said the PGF was in support of the chairmanship candidate being backed by President Buhari although he refused to name the candidate.
But speaking at a high-level policy dialogue organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), on Thursday, Fayemi denied supporting candidates endorsed by the president.
FAYEMI CLARIFIES EARLIER COMMENTS
Meanwhile Governor Fayemi has clarified his earlier comments on the matter with this statement from his Spokesman
*Re: FAYEMI REJECTS CONSENSUS CANDIDATE*
The general public is hereby notified that a news story in circulation with the above headline is a misrepresentation of the views of the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Dr Fayemi at a policy dialogue organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in Abuja on Thursday, was quoted as rejecting the consensus arrangement President Mohammed Buhari reached with the Governors ahead of the party’s convention.
It must be stated, however, that Governor Fayemi’s presentation at the event was about democracy in West Africa and democratic reversal in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso and not about his party convention.
For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Fayemi in response to a question from the audience accusing the President of imposing a Chairman on the party at the forthcoming convention, stated that the President's priority was the unity of the party and he didn't know about the President endorsing any candidate for Chairman. But that if indeed the President has expressed such a view, the President that he knows is a democrat and those who do not share the view may of course contest.
Governor Fayemi is well known as a leader not given to frivolous and distracting talk.
Yinka Oyebode
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
24- 03- 22