• Ex-gov denies any shaddy plan
• It’s an affirmation of loyalty, says Olu-Ojo
• Tactic meant to coerce people, says PDP youths’ leader
There was a cause for concern yesterday in Ekiti State as the political camp of the former governor of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, was enmeshed in a secret oath-taking scandal.
In a video that circulated on the social media, including the Facebook, WhatsApp and Youtube and seen by our reporter, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward executives in Ijero Local Council of the state were subjected to secret oath-taking.
The Guardian learnt that the move was to prevent some of them (loyalists) from shifting allegiance and moving to Senator Biodun Olujimi’s ‘repositioning group.’But reacting to the alleged oath-taking, Fayose, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, denied that there was any oath-taking. He said: “Did you see Fayose in that video? Did you see any object like Bible, Quran, 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?”
Also reacting to the video, the former state PDP Chairman, Chief Olu-Ojo, denied indulging in any secret oath-taking, describing the allegation as “puerile and malicious.”
Olu-Ojo, who dismissed the oath-taking allegation in a telephone chat with our reporter, described it as mere conjectures and handiwork of some renegades in Ekiti PDP, saying: “It was not oath-taking but affirmation of loyalty to our leader Fayose.”
Meanwhile, a leader of Ekiti PDP Concerned Youths in Omuo-Ekiti, Sola Olofinmoyin, has alleged that Fayose was using every tactic to coerce the people to do his bidding by subjecting them to oath-taking.
He said: “Rather than the former governor accepting his fate as someone whose time and relevance have lapsed, he has resorted to forcing people to follow him.
“The video where some members of the state PDP were being subjected to oath-taking is a pointer to the fact that some of our so-called leaders can go to any length to portray themselves as demigods who must be worshipped and looked up to for succour by the people.”
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