• Replies Gov Makinde, says some of us baked the cake for you and now you are having it

A former National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, on Monday, boycotted the sitting of the appeal screening panel of the party led by a former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu over refusal by the party screening committee to clear him to contest the position of National Publicity Secretary ahead of the party’s convention this Saturday.

Starnews Nigeria had reported that Olafeso, and two others from the southwest vying for positions in the National Working Committee of the PDP, were not cleared for the race by the PDP screening panel led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

The former Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Mobilization in Ondo State from 2007 – 2009 had initially vowed to challenge the verdict of the screening committee today at the party’s appeal panel but suddenly made a U-turn
and released fresh revelations for boycotting the sitting of the appeal panel.

Despite the Constitutional provision of appealing such a travesty of Justice unheard of in Law, I will not attend the Appeal Screening Committee. I am withdrawing from this process henceforth. The process has been calibrated for no reason other than to exclude us and the best we can do at this juncture is to wish the Party well and pray to God for the PDP to survive this perilous time”, Olafeso said in a statement obtained by Starnews Nigeria on Monday which he signed by himself.

Olafeso, the former State Secretary of the PDP in Ondo State from 2006 – 2007, thanked the PDP SENATE CAUCUS for their support and endorsement.

“I wish to thank the Peoples Democratic Party Senate Caucus for their support and endorsement. I am humbled by their kind words and encouragement. May God continue to bless you all.
Also, all our leaders routing for me across the country who believed in our capacity to serve, I thank you all. In my home state of Ondo, I thank all the leaders, Local Government Chairmen, members of the State Executive Committee, and all our teaming followers across the three Senatorial districts. I say thank you and may the Mercy of God continue to be with you all,” he said.

Giving reasons for boycotting the sitting of the appeal panel with some fresh revelations, the former Ondo State Governorship Aspirant during the 2020 governorship election wrote:

“(1) I received a provisional clearance certificate from the screening committee of the
PDP which indicated under my name a phrase “Not Cleared to Contest” on Thursday 21st October 2021.”

“(2) Upon investigation, I found out that a petition was written by a faceless Emmanuel
Oyereazo of No 45 Power lane, Dutse Alhaji Abuja, against me Eddy Olafeso, Prof. Wale Oladipupo of Osun State, Hon. Daisi Akintan of Ogun State same day, same time, alleging that myself, Hon. Daisi Akintan took the PDP to court to stop the coming National Convention and equally confirmed by the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde on a National Television, the Channels on Seun Okinbaloye’s “Politics Today”.

“(3) I defended this allegation at the screening committee and was asked to take a bow hoping that all had been laid to rest. That was not to be.”

“(4) I wish to let the world know the real facts of the case:”

“(a) The Suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos was not instituted to stop the National Convention of the Party, but indeed a courageous action taken by myself and some committed stakeholders from the Southwest Zone of the Party to ensure Constitutionality and cohesion within the Party through strict compliance to the extant provision of the Party’s Constitution.”

“Those of us who went to court was conscious of the fact that things were happening within the party that seem to portend imminent danger to the Party if not immediately checked. Hence the approach to the Federal High Court in the hope that the slide into unconstitutionality was stopped and supremacy of the Party Constitution enthroned.”

“The crux of the matter is that we asked the court to restore Prince Uche Secondus to his position to enable him to complete his tenure in line with the Party’s constitution to avoid legal quagmire which his removal by Exparte injunction may visit upon the Party. WE STILL STAND BY THIS POSITION.”

“My accusers never took their time to read the facts of the case before their conclusions. I, Eddy Olafeso have served this Party in various capacities these long years with all the passion and talents God gave me and not for one day forsaken the Party.”

“Below are some of the positions held in the Party:

(a) State Secretary (2006 – 2007) Ondo State.
(b) Commissioner for Information Orientation and Mobilization, Ondo State (2007 –2009).
(c) Secretary (ii) National Convention (2017).
(d) National Vice Chairman Southwest (2016 – 2020).
(e) Governorship Aspirant, Ondo State (2020).
(f) Many other assignments are too numerous to mention.“

“In all of the above, I gave it my all with the abiding faith of the founding fathers to build a party of the People that will usher our great country into prosperity and a better life for all.”

After saying the above, Starnews Nigeria reports that Olafeso, the oratory linguist, didn’t conclude his statement without firing back at the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, who said on National Television (Channels TV Politics Today) that people who were not cleared want to eat their cake and have it.

In his response, the Ph.D. holder said: “Finally, let me correct an impression credited to one of our leaders on National Television that those of us not cleared want to eat our cake and have it. How wrong can he ever be? Some of us baked the cake for you and now you are having it, it is only God’s power that endures forever, talking down on people is not a sign of great leadership.”

“For some of us this too shall pass and the Peoples Democratic Party shall rise again. My loyalty remains with this great party I have come to love and served. If given the chance, I will do it over and over again. Long live the Peoples Democratic Party, Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, Chief Eddy Olafeso said.