👤 Adenike Lucas, Editor, DENISAURUS News

Ayodele Fayose, the former Governor of Ekiti State has suffered huge defeats at the recently held South West Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Out of the officers selected, the candidate of the former two term Governor did not make any of the top positions.

One of Mr Fayose’s candidate, Eddy Olafeso lost his bid to be lead the PDP in the South West to Taofeek Arapaja, the candidate of the current Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

Alhaji Arapaja received 343 votes, while his nearest rival, Mr Olafeso scored 330 at the congress that took place in Osogbo – the capital of Osun State.

Another of Governor Makinde’s candidate, Segun Adewale known as Areoland, was elected zonal Ex-Officio member of the South West zone of the party.

Mr Olafeso, was the former chairman of the party in the south west, before he decided to run to be the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, but he lost the primaries to Eyitayo Jegede.

Sources say that senior party members had told Mr Olafeso to retain his chairmanship position instead of running to be the guber candidate, but failed to heed their advice.

Having lost the primaries to Barrister Jegede, Mr Olafeso was backed up by Mr Fayose about retaining his old position.

Despite the backing of Mr Fayose, he went on to lose to Governor Makinde’s candidate.

The election victory for Governor Makinde’s camp solidifies his position as the leader of the party in the South West zone.

There has been a long running battle between Mr Fayose and Governor Makinde over the control of the party in the South West region.

The former Governor of Ekiti, Mr Fayose states it should be him that should control the party, but the PDP has always allowed the most senior government member to be its leader. At present, Governor Makinde is the most senior government official, as he is the only governor in the zone.

At the Congress, Mr Fayose declared finally declared this to be the case.

“The Governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, my brother, my friend and by the grace of God, our leader,” he said, adding that “Nothing last forever, if I offend anybody, I apologise.”