The hope of resolving the lingering crisis facing the Ekiti chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dimmed on Tuesday as ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose and former Senate Minority leader, Chief Biodun Olujimi, renewed their hostilities.
The fresh hostilities were triggered by a five- minute- and- two second viral video, which showed some PDP members loyal to Fayose, purportedly swearing to an oath, leading to exchange of verbal invectives.
In the footage, the party’s executives in the Ijero council area led by the former PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, took turns to make a vow to be loyal to Fayose and cursed sudden death be visited on them should they betray him.
Senator Olujimi berated Fayose for allegedly coercing the party executives with financial inducement to swear to a ‘fetish oath’ to sustain their loyalty.
But Fayose’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, denied that party members were coerced insisting they only affirmed their loyalty to Fayose voluntarily.
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti, Olujimi, through her media aide, Sanya Atofarati, said Fayose’s action was desperation taken too far and condemnable as well as reckless politicking that has no merit in modern democracy.
She alleged Fayose was reputed from time immemorial for engaging in unconscionable conducts, describing the oath-taking scandal as barbaric, pettish and awkward.
Olujimi said the oath-taking scandal has explicitly shown the extreme desperation of the former governor to revive his alleged sinking political career and dimming relevance in Ekiti politics after people rejected him.
The federal lawmaker, who expressed dismay that a political leader like Fayose would force his followers into an oath, branded Fayose’s politics as “do-or-die affairs”.
She warned the former governor against transmogrifying the party into occult fraternity with his gluttonous quest for power and wealth, saying this may dent the soaring image and popularity of PDP in Ekiti state.
“It is unfortunate that a self-acclaimed political leader can condescend so low into engaging in fetish manipulations of the citizens he claims to lead and enjoy their support and loyalty.
“From recent revelations at our disposals, it is now crystal clear that the demonic hold that he claims to have is by fetish remote control. It is now obvious that Fayose has lost relevance completely in Ekiti PDP.
“I admonish Ekiti PDP faithful hoping to make political benefits from their relationship with Fayose to have a rethink of the fetish-induced loyalty in their own best interest.
‘’Nothing fruitful will come out from their fraternity with Fayose. Those who served under him were pauperised.
Countering Olujimi’s position, Fayose said there nothing occult about the meeting, claiming “it was just an open exercise for affirmation of loyalty”.
“There was nothing occult in the exercise. Would anybody who is doing something occult would record the video and sent it to the public?” he asked.
“We don’t have time for a loser who is being used by APC to destabilize the Ekiti PDP.
“If she wants to leave PDP, she can leave. She has right to ventilate her frustration having fail to take over PDP, so that she can became the party flag bearer in 2022,” Fayose added.

By Razaq Ibrahim