THERE was a mild drama on Monday as the loyalists of former governor Ayodele Fayose in the Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were enmeshed in alleged secret oath-taking scandal.
In a viral video circulated on Facebook, WhatsApp, Youtube and other social media platforms, the PDP ward executives in Ijero Council Area were subjected to secret oath-taking.
The Nation gathered that the move was believed to have been taken to prevent some of the party executives from shifting allegiance and moving to another group.
The PDP in the state has for some time been polarised into two factions over leadership issue.
The wards executives, in the video which lasted five minutes and two seconds, pledged allegiance to Fayose and laid curses on themselves should they by any means betray him.
In the video, each member, after mentioning his or her name, declared: “If I betray Osokomole Ayo Fayose, may the ground swallow me.”
Among the personalities involved were the former PDP chairman, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo and others.
A source alleged that the leaders were coerced into oath-taking with financial inducement.
But Chief Olu-Ojo denied involving in any secret oath-taking, describing the allegation as “puerile and malicious.”
Dismissing the oath-taking allegations as mere conjectures and handiwork of some ‘renegades’ in Ekiti PDP, Olu-Ojo said: “It was not oath-taking but affirmation of loyalty to our leader Fayose.
“There was nothing secret. It was an open meeting. It was not an oath-taking because in the course of activities there was no Bible, Quran, iron, blood and other objects to swear with.
“It was an individual opinion. Nobody repeated anything after me. Everybody stated whatever he or she wanted to say on his or her own accord. There was no special language while reading. Individual words were used.”
Reacting to the alleged oath-taking, Fayose, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, denied the allegations, saying: “He never coerced anybody to take oath.
“Did you see Fayose in that video? Did you see any object like Bible, Quran or iron? If no, how does that amount to oath- taking?
“When people gather to express their allegiance to their leader, how does that amount to oath- taking? I can tell you that the video was not leaked; it was released by one of the people there. If they have done something wrong, would they have released it?”
By Razaq Ibrahim