As the politicians strategise for the 2023 presidency which is still 2 years away, the current Governor of Ekiti State and former minister, Kayode Fayemi has experienced numerous mentioning as regards contesting for presidency comes 2023.
Recently an unconfirmed news has claimed that the Ekiti State Chapter of All Progressive Congress, APC, has endorsed him for presidency but in a twist, a political forum known as Ekiti State Stakeholders Forum (ESSF) has faulted media reports claiming that Governor Kayode Fayemi has received the backing of the Ekiti state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential race.
The Forum which is a front line political movement in Ekiti state said the purported endorsement, which was credited to a statement by Mr Paul Omotoso, was a personal view of Mr Ade Ajayi who represented Omotoso at an event in Ekiti held in the weekend.
According to a statement released on Monday by Omo’ba Bamgboye Adegoroye, the Forum said Ajayi only expressed a personal view on the matter and that his views neither represented the position of Omotoso nor that of Ekiti APC.
Fayemi, who is one of people who are opposed to the zoning arrangement for the 2023 APC presidential ticket, was reported by Ajayi to have been purportedly endorsed for the race by the Ekiti APC.
The statement said: ‘The attention of the Ekiti State Stakeholders Forum has been drawn to a statement credited to Mr. Paul Omotoso on the idea that APC Ekiti State chapter has backed Dr. John Kayode Fayemi for the 2023 Presidency.’
‘We want to state unequivocally that Hon. Ade Ajayi who represented Mr. Omotoso barely expressed a personal view at a social event, where the convener was absent or at best, the views of a small clique in the party.
‘The leaders of APC in Ekiti State are unaware of the idea. Again, we note that Hon. Ade Ajayi’s boss does not even believe that the position should be zoned to the South West as expressed on the national platform recently.’
The Forum further noted that all the states in southern Nigeria deserved a shot at the Presidency if it is agreed upon by the national leadership of the party.
‘Ekiti State Stakeholders Forum along with other eminent Yoruba leaders will canvas for the opportunity to produce the next President in 2023 from our zone.’
‘Adoption of an authentic, qualified, well known, humane and experienced Yoruba man is our goal, and we will play our part in accomplishing that task,’ the Forum added.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
