Fayose, a former governor of the state, while speaking to our correspondent on Saturday, alleged that the government had been frustrating his political campaigns in the state ahead of the June 21, 2014, governorship election.
The state PDP had postponed President Goodluck Jonathan's one-day campaign visit to Ekiti State scheduled for April 8, where the visitor was to inaugurate Fayose's electioneering campaign in the state.
The Director-General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Dipo Anisulowo, and the Publicity Secretary, Ekiti PDP, Kola Oluwole, blamed the postponement on the refusal of the state government to release the Ado-Ekiti Stadium to host the President.
Despite that the Ekiti State Government reportedly denied being responsible for the failure of Jonathan's visit, Fayose, while speaking to our correspondent on Friday, insisted that the government denied the PDP access to all venues requested to host the President.
He said, "A letter was written to them about the visit of the President and they wrote back to say that all the various dates we chose were already booked, except the governor gave an authorisation for the use of the stadium and schools for political functions.
"These facilities were built with public funds; some of them were built by the PDP administration when we were there. There is no use in taking politics to that end.
"Even if they're so panicky; even if there are so scared about the rising profile of the PDP and its candidate, they should not show it, as a government. It is obvious that they are panicky."
Fayose said it was when the state government allegedly refused to release the stadium the PDP advised the Presidency to stay back. He said his campaign organisation would not expose Jonathan to risks in a venue that was not conducive.
He said, "They have also disallowed us from the public schools because they know the kind of crowd we can pull.
"When they realised that we were going to court and taking actions against them, they had to write again that they did not deny us the facilities and that the governor did not direct them to say that."
He, however, said the President would visit the state soon, as his campaign organisation would reapply for the venue.
Efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary for Fayemi for comments on Saturday and Sunday proved abortive, as several calls made to his telephone line were not successful. Also, he did not respond to a text message sent to him.
Source: Punch
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