The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti state says the All Progressives Congress, APC, will be defeated in the July 14 governorship election in the state even if the party deploys N100 billion to prosecute the poll that should produce Governor Ayo Fayose’s successor.
The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mr Jackson Adebayo, revealed this in a statement issued on Sunday while.
He was reacting to report that the APC was proposing a budget of N15 billion for the Ekiti and Osun States governorship election.
PDP said it was laughable that a party controlling the federal government that did nothing for Ekiti state since it assumed power in 2015 could be raising N15 billion for election.
It claimed that the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi had earlier boasted of providing N8 billion from his own pocket and allegedly gave the assurance of N20 billion from the Presidency to buy one vote at N20,000.
The statement read; “APC is budgeting N7.5 billion, three months allocation of Ekiti State for a mere governorship election while Fayemi is boasting of having N8 billion his personal money to spend and N20 billion from the Presidency, making N35.5 billion? What special interest do they have in Ekiti that will require spending of N35.5 billion on mere governorship election?
“In one year, Ekiti State cannot get N35.5 billion as share from the federation account and the question is; of what benefit will the N35.5 billion be for the people of Ekiti? Why not spend just half of the N35.5 billion on infrastructural development of Ekiti State?
“To us in Ekiti State PDP, no amount of money will buy the conscience and integrity of Ekiti people. Ekiti people are mindful of the party that plunged the State into debt and collapsed the economy of the country.
“Talking about spending N35.5 billion on Ekiti election is an insult on the collective sensibilities of Ekiti the people. Not even when the APC federal government has not done anything for the State since it took power in 2015.
“Even Fayemi that boasted of having N8 billion to spend on the election, can the APC point to one benefit Ekiti has derived from his position as minister in charge of solid minerals? Even the solid minerals in Isan-Ekiti, his hometown, has he done anything on them?
“The reality the leadership of APC in Abuja must begin to face from now is that even if the entire treasury of the federal government is opened and deployed to Ekiti State from today till July 14, it won’t save the party from losing the governorship election.”
