The National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as an affront the decision of the State Chairman of the Party in Ekiti State Chapter to suspend a former Governor of the State Chief Ayo Fayose without the consent of the National Leadership.The National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji (Dr) Bamanga Tukur expressed surprise that such a far reaching decision involving a former Governor and a Gubernatorial Aspirant of the Party can be taken by the State Chapter without due consultations and consent of the National Leadership of the Party.

 Dr. Bamanga Tukur made these statements when he received some members of the Ekiti State Executive of the Party, accompanied by some Elders and led by the former Governor who came to complain to him over the unilateral suspension of the former Governor of the State by the State Chairman of the Party. The National Chairman wondered why such a decision should be taken in a hurry when he has received the complaint of the state Executive led by the Chairman few days ago and assured that he is going to handle the issue at National level with a view to finding a final solution to the problem.

 It is the view of the National Chairman that the State Executive having brought the matter would have allowed the National Leadership look into the matter and take a decision before the hurried suspension. He said that such a decision violated lay down procedures and cannot stand. He remarked that the National Leadership of the Party will not condone any act of imposition of candidate in the party under his leadership. The National Chairman said that in issues of election to any office, the National Leadership of the Party will create a conducive and enabling environment for every member of the party to contest. He said that even where it becomes necessary that there should be a consensus arrangement everybody within the party must be carried along so that nobody at the end will feel short-changed or isolated. Dr. Tukur assured the delegation that the National Working Committee will soon look into the matter critically and come out with a decision.

 The former Governor who led the delegation said that he was pleased when he heard from the media that the National leadership of the Party will handle the matter and was waiting to be invited to present his own side of the story only to also read in the papers of his hurried suspension from the Party. He denied having any hand in the catastrophic actions that took place in the Party’s State Secretariat. He said that as a man of honour and as a Former Governor of the State who believe in the rule of law there is no way he can encourage any act of lawlessness, thuggery and brigandage Governor Fayose pledged that he and his supporters will abide by any decision of the National Leadership of the Party as a true Party man and democrat. Prince Oliver Okpala Special Assistant on Media to the National Chairman of PDP