Ekiti PDP primary: Olujimi steps down for Adeyeye

  One of the  contenders for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP) in Ekiti, Sen.  Abiodun Olujimi, has stepped down for Mr Adedayo Adeyeye, a former Minister of Works.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the withdrawal of Olujimi a few minutes before voting commenced at about 2. pm,  was announced by the National Congress Committee of the party led by Gov. Ifeanyi  Okowa of Delta.

Olujimi, who represents Ekiti South and is the Senate Deputy Minority Whip,  announced her withdrawal shortly before the commencement of voting by the delegates at the Eagle Event Centre, Ado-Ekiti, venue of the exercise.

The senator, whose action elicited  a loud applause, said she decided to merge  her structure with that of  Adeyeye for the progress of the party.

“For the benefit  of our party, I offer myself as a sacrificial lamb to make our party great.

“ I am collapsing my structure to brighten the chances of Prince Dayo Adeyeye and make sure no single aspirant has  undue advantage over others.

“The state governor once said his deputy was his anointed  and that nobody could stand against him, it was the two of us that had the courage that came out to challenge him.

“I don’t want a situation whereby a single person will have an undue advantage over others, and that was why I  took that decision;  we will now wait and see what the result will be, ” Olujimi said

The decision of Olujimi, who was also a former deputy governor between December  2005 and October  2006  to Gov.  Ayo Fayose,  was  viewed by many as a strategy to ensure that the governor’s  candidate and his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, does  not  emerge victorious.