PDP to tackle Fayemi with Ekiti North candidate

[Punch]

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State is considering  picking  its governorship candidate for the 2014 election in the state from Ekiti North Senatorial District, where incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress of Nigeria hails from.

President Goodluck Jonathan and the national leadership of the party had earlier in the month suggested  the idea of picking a consensus candidate from the governorship aspirants jostling for the lone ticket of the PDP to prevent acrimony that  normally trails primary elections.

A leader of the party in the state, who pleaded not to be named, told our correspondent on Monday that although Ekiti South Senatorial District ought to produce the next governor in the state because Ekiti Central and Ekiti North had produced governors, the party was considering picking its candidate from Ekiti North to " neutralise the advantage Fayemi, who is also from Ekiti North, may have from the zone."

Some of the PDP governorship aspirants from Ekiti North Senatorial District include Mr. Obafemi Olaosebikan, Senator Ayo Arise, Dr. Peter Obafemi, Mr. Wale Aribisala and  Yinka Akerele.

On the other hand, former Governor Ayo Fayose, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju from Central and Senator Gbenga Aluko, Chief Ropo Ogunbolude, Dayo Adeyeye, Fayose's deputies, Abiodun Aluko, Bisi Omoyeni and Abiodun Olujimi are among the prominent ones from Ekiti South.

The source, who contested the governorship ticket of the PDP and lost in 2006, said the leadership of the party was considering many factors, adding that the party would not pick any candidate it would later regret.

The Punch