Daily Trust

Why PDP popularity is waning in Ekiti — Falegan

Those supporting Igbo quit notice not fair — Ali Kano

- From Doyin Adebusuyi, Ado Ekiti By Latifat Opoola

A chieftain of the PDP in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Falegan, yesterday observed that the party is fast losing popularity in the state due to what he termed “the dictatoria­l tendencies of Governor Ayodele Fayose.”

He accused the Fayose-led government of alleged refusal to carry the people along to ensure delivery of desired democracy dividends.

He, however, said the situation could still be reversed before the official take-off of activities for the 2018 governorsh­ip election in the state, “if the governor could, as a matter of urgency, hearken to the voices and needs of the different communitie­s with a view to ensuring peace and meaningful developmen­t.”

In a statement in Ado Ekiti, the chieftain said: “The one-day-onetrouble being witnessed in the state, ranging from recent disagreeme­nt between the state government and oil marketers and a stand-off between the government and Ikere community over the relocation of a shrine; among others, is at variance with conditions for meaningful developmen­t.

“The way and manner the present The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) should serve as a force in uniting Nigeria not balkanisin­g it, a chieftain of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Ali Kano, has said.

He said the endorsemen­t of the quit notice by the Spokespers­on of the NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi, was uncalled for and not in the best interest of any part of the country.

Ali Kano, a member of the 2015 PDP Presidenti­al Campaign Council, said Ango Abdullahi had spent his entire life working for the developmen­t and PDP-led administra­tion in the state is losing its popularity as a result of selfinduce­d but avoidable crises calls for great concern among the true party leaders and loyalists.

“The purpose of government in power is to serve the people through mutual understand­ing and agreement on all issues since it is a democracy. This will at all times encourage the electorate to always have a trust in such government and the party it represents,” Falegan stated. cohesion of this country.

“As a professor, vice chancellor, governorsh­ip aspirant, presidenti­al adviser and member of many constituti­onal conference­s in Nigeria, he has all the qualities of a statesman.

“His endorsemen­t of the ‘Kaduna Declaratio­n’ is therefore not in tandem with his statesman’s stature,” Ali Kano said.

He said Nigerian youths look up to personalit­ies like Professor Ango for inspiratio­n, mentorship and leadership qualities.

“As a university teacher and administra­tor, Professor Ango has taught, mentored and guided thousands of Nigerians irrespecti­ve of their ethnic or sectional demography.

“Many of such mentees will certainly be concerned by the professor’s endorsemen­t of the empty quit notice to Igbo by the northern groups,” he said.

The PDP chieftain appealed to all sociocultu­ral and panregiona­l organisati­ons to engender the culture of unity, not disunity among Nigerians.

“What Nigeria needs is developmen­t. Our strength lies in our diversity. We must sustain it,” Ali Kano said.

 ??  ?? Gov. Ayodele Fayose
Gov. Ayodele Fayose

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