AP dumps standard-bearer, adopts PDP’s Kolapo Olusola

• Action borne out of greed, says Aluko
• USIP study says battle between APC, PDP will be tough

Accord Party members in Ekiti State have announced the dumping of their governorship candidate, Abiodun Aluko.The party’s state leader, Akogun Banji Ojo, who disclosed this at a news conference, also declared their adoption of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.The members, who declared this after an emergency meeting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday accused Aluko of abandoning his role and not living up to expectations as the party’s candidate.

Ojo disclosed that the State Executive Committee has entered into an alliance with the PDP to ensure the victory of its candidate, Olusola Eleka.He alleged that Aluko has not been holding campaigns in any part of the state, with only few days to the election, adding that he deceived them that he had N1.2 billion to prosecute the election.

The party also accused him of deceit in all his utterances, and passed a vote of no confidence in him, while also indicting him of disrespect and dishonorable conduct towards the state executive led by the Samuel Odeoba.He said: “The party and the committee members, after verification, had decided to be in alliance and partnership with the PDP, having seen the tremendous job done by Governor Ayo Fayose.

“Fayose is the only viable opposition leader in Nigeria, he is not contesting, but he has fielded Olusola, whose antecedents showed that Ekiti is going forward.When contacted, Aluko who denied all allegations leveled against him, accused Accord Party leaders of greed, saying he cannot match the financial war chest of both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Aluko said: “Their action was borne out of greed for money; I can’t compare myself with the state government which is sponsoring Olusola Eleka and the Federal Government, which is supporting Fayemi.Meanwhile, a study commissioned by the United States Institute of peace (USIP) had hinted that the contest between PDP and the APC would be fierce.

Co-author of the study, Dr. Chris Kwaja, and a USIP, and a senior advisor, argued that the outcome of the impending contest is connected to the upcoming 2019 poll.The presentation dwelt on electoral violence and risk assessment in select states of the country.Kwaja, who is a senior lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Security Studies at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, cited Fayose’s statement that the election would be a battleground for 2019.