Oni mediates in Fayose-Olujimi’s conflict ahead of Ekiti PDP primary election, governorship poll

A former governor of Ekiti State, Engineer Segun Oni has mediated in the conflict between the Ayo Fayose-led Osoko Political Assembly and the Senator Biodun Olujimi-led Repositioning that has unsettled the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for many months.

Oni’s intervention, THE CONCLAVE learnt, was at the instance of the national leadership of the PDP under the chair of Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

THE CONCLAVE also reports that Oni is a frontline governorship aspirant for January 28, 2022, PDP gubernatorial primary election.

Ayu was said to have saddled Oni with the responsibility of mediating in the Fayose-Olujimi conflict on the control of the structure of the party as a former governor of the state from 2007 to 2010 on the platform of the PDP.

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Oni’s neutrality and the fact that he has no issues with any of the two contending groups were considered by the national leadership to have placed him in a better position to play a mediatory and stabilising role, which he did at the meetings that were recently held in Lagos and Ado-Ekiti.

The former governor had, in a recent interview on Arise Television, expressed a similar commitment to the party: “The relationship I share with everybody is that of colleagues and friends.

“When I was coming into the PDP, people thought I would join the Olujimi or the Fayose flank, but I said no; that I am here for peace because I am not looking for anything for myself, but I want to be in the party that will be the next government in Ekiti State,” THE CONCLAVE further reports.

Both groups confirmed the reconciliation meeting in a statement entitled; “Interim Report on the Ekiti Imbroglio”, pointing out that the meeting was convened at the instance of the national leadership of the party.

The report was signed by Ayo Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujimi for Osoko Political Assembly and Repositioning respectively.

Although the report claimed that “the meeting was between the two groups (sic), namely: Repositioning and Osoko Political Assembly with H.E Eng. SEGUN ONI in attendance as observer,” THE CONCLAVE learnt that Engineer Oni actually mediated between the groups at the meeting.

According to the report: “The two groups agreed to work together in one Accord to ensure victory for the party in 2022.

“The meeting reiterated the fact that there are only two (contending) groups in Ekiti PDP.

“The meeting took far-reaching decisions on some of the issues.

“The meeting agreed to communicate the comprehensive outcome of the meeting to the leadership of the party in due date.

“The meeting reassures all stakeholders/members of the party of amicable resolution of the grey areas between the two groups (sic) in the overall interest of the party and ensure total reconciliation ahead 2022.

“The meeting calls for total transparency in the processes leading to the primary election.

“The meeting appreciates the wisdom of the party to convoke the meeting and assures once again, of the commitment of the two groups to total resolution and reconciliation.”