Emmanuel Adigwe
The viral video of an oath-taking session administered on supporters of former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has continued to gather dust.
The video which showed some PDP members in Ijero Local Government placing curses on themselves during the oath-taking that sudden death be visited on them should they betray Fayose.
However, the factions of the ex-governor and Senator Biodun Olujimi clashed on Tuesday in a radio show on SABENKO, a Yoruba current affairs programme, on Voice 89.9 FM, Ado Ekiti to discuss the propriety of the action.
Olujimi’s spokesman, Sanya Atofarati, while speaking on the programme, said the former governor’s action in coercing party members into a secret oath to keep their loyalty was shameful and also dented the image of the party.
Fayose’s spokesperson, however, while reacting through a telephone chat, explained that the party members were not forced but voluntarily affirmed their loyalty to the former governor.
Atofarati was perplexed as why a leader will make his followers to take oaths and he accused the former governor of “harbouring a plot to enslave everybody in Ekiti PDP” adding that “there are shackles on the legs of Fayose’s supporters in the party”.
However, the former governor’s spokesperson argued that there was nothing secret about the act explaining that it was the supporters of the former governor who uploaded the video.
Atofarati said: “Forcing party members into an oath is very bad and the video is saddening and shameful and it shows the type of leader they have chosen to follow and the people of Ekiti are scandalized by the video.
“If you claim you love the people, why are you forcing them to curse themselves? Since I saw the video, I have been praying to God to forgive them all for what they have done.
“It is bad for somebody like me to go to Senator Olujimi and tell her that we should force an oath on our supporters. You said will not betray Fayose, what of if Fayose betrays you?
“Fayose sees himself as a little god that all of us must worship. If Fayose says he helped Olujimi, has he forgotten that Olujimi helped him to become governor?
“The issue of oath-taking is bad and should we continue to do it? Many of those following Fayose don’t like what he is doing. We have rejected Fayose’s selfishness in Ekiti PDP and we are out to reposition the party.
Olayinka said: “There is a difference between taking an oath and expressing your mind and what they have done is an agreement among them, it’s just like an agreement between husband and wife.
“The video was released by those who participated in it. If they have done something bad, would they have the boldness to release it? These people did it by themselves and they have shown that they are with Fayose.
“If my brother in the studio is saying that they are taking oath in Fayose’s camp, that means that Olujimi herself had taken part in oath-taking because Fayose made him Special Assistant, House of Reps member, Deputy Governor and Senator.
“This is how PDP members in Ijero do their own things and I want to ask, do they record anything that is secret? It was not an oath, they only affirmed the loyalty to Fayose.
“People also affirm in the court of law, has anyone of them tell you that he was coerced?”