Fayose Dumps PDP

Former Governor of Ekiti state Ayo Fayose has finally dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as he submitted his resignation letter to the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja on Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, and made available to Daily Sun, Fayose referred to a letter he wrote to the party in April 2009, notifying it about his decision to “step aside from PDP” due to what he described as the “prevailing political situation” vis-à-vis “issues relating to the May 2009 gubernatorial bye-election and its fallout.”

Fayose noted that “after due consultation with my supporters and constituency, it becomes morally and courtesy right for me to formally inform your good self and your party of my exit and relinquish of my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party.”

He, however, pointed out that “since democracy is a game of choice, we all have responsibility to make it work in whatever party we find ourselves. It is our sincere aim that we continue to play politics without bitterness, suppression and adherence to the rule of law.”
In a swift reaction to the resignation, the state Chairman of PDP, Rotarian Bola Olu-Ojo dismissed the resignation letter at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti, describing it as a “funny development”, saying the party had earlier expelled the former governor.

Olu-Ojo, who described the letter as belated, said on receiving the letter, he contacted the National Secretariat of the party and it was confirmed that the suspension of Fayose by the state chapter of the party in August 2009 had been approved since then but the State Secretariat is yet to be written to.

The PDP Chairman noted that Fayose’s suspension stemmed from his anti-party activities, pointing out that it got to the peak when he supported Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the rerun election in the State on April 25, 2009 and May 5, 2009.

Olu-Ojo, however, said the party would reply Fayose promptly, disclosing that he would be asked to surrender the party membership identity card in his possession. Reacting to PDP statement, Fayose, who spoke to Daily Sun on phone said: “I don’t expect them to say anything better. I have done what I ought to do and that is for posterity sake.