Jonathan intervenes in Ekiti PDP crisis

    
President Goodluck Jonathan has intervened in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State.

It was gathered in Abuja, on Thursday, that the President held a close door meeting with the feuding party stalwarts at the Aso Rock Villa, from Wednesday to the early hours of Thursday.

The President intervened at the behest of the party’s national leadership following the dispute over the emergence of a former governor of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose as the party’s governoship candidate for the forth coming election.

A source privy to the meeting confided in our correspondent, that President Jonathan made a passionate appeal to the aggrieved aspirants to support Fayose in the interest of the party.

According to the party source, 12 aspirants who rejected the outcome of the party primaries which threw up Fayose attended the meeting.

The source said, “The President expressed displeasure over the method adopted by the aggrieved aspirants to protest the conduct of the outcome of the primaries.

“At the meeting, the President gave everyone of us an opportunity to speak some of them complained that the conduct of the primaries was unacceptable because they wanted a consensus candidate.

“National Chairman of the party, Adamu Muazu explained that the party decided against consensus to avoid litigation.

“The aspirants appealed that the N11million they each paid for the forms. It was agreed in principle that they will get refunds in addition to whatever other ‘compensations’ as may be agreed by the party and the President.”

At one point one of the candidates, allegedly expressed doubts about the peace moves.

This angered the President who asked who ever was not convinced about the sincerity of his efforts to walk out.

However reason prevailed when elders of the party apologised to the President on behalf the “rude” aspirant.

The aspirants, thereafter, jointly assured the President of their willingness to support the party’s choice.

Reacting, to the development, Fayose was said to have welcomed the development and pleaded with all to assist him.