Worries As Fayose, Kolawole, Many PDP Candidates Shun Atiku’s Presidential Rally In Ekiti

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday, took his campaign rally to Ekiti State.

However, all may not be well in the Ekiti State chapter of the party as many prominent PDP chieftains shunned the rally and were absent without giving any reason.

It was also observed that supporters who wanted to get to the campaign ground had a hard time doing so as many commercial vehicles and motorbikes were unusually off the roads.

Commenting on the case of the transporters, some PDP members alleged that the transporters did not work in a bid to frustrate those who might want to attend the rally, but the commercial transporters differed, saying they were off the roads due to statewide prayers observed by their associations.

Apart from the challenges of transportation, Naija News gathered that former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose; former governorship candidate, Bisi Kolawole; acting PDP State Chairman, Lanre Omolase; seven of the nine PDP National Assembly candidates and 20 of 26 House of Assembly candidates were absent at the presidential rally held by Atiku.

Their absence may not be unconnected to earlier protests that many Social Democratic Party (SDP) members have been included in the Ekiti State Presidential Campaign Council of the PDP and an appeal for the situation to be reviewed but which didn’t get the attention of Atiku and his team.

However, Atiku was silent about the absence of the PDP stalwarts during the campaign as he promised the people of the state and his supporters at the venue that he would bring development to their state if they vote for him in the February 25 election.

He blamed the action of the transporters on the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state saying they created artificial scarcity.

The PDP presidential candidate said, “I am highly impressed with the huge crowd we are seeing here today despite antics of the APC government to cripple and sabotage the rally with artificial fuel scarcity and stoppage of drivers from Ekiti roads; let me assure you that we will make you happy for making us happy today.

“Ekiti is a state of intellectual prowess and we will tap into this in our government to develop and transform the nation.”

Some of the PDP stalwarts at the rally include the party’s Vice Presidential candidate and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as well as the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who handed over party flags to the Ekiti South Senatorial candidate, Biodun Olujimi; and House of Representative’s candidate for (Ekiti South 1), Henrich Akomolafe.