Ex-Governor, Fayose Sacks Popular Aide, Anifowose For Voting Atiku Abubakar During PDP Primary

Ayodele Fayose, a former Governor of Ekiti State, on Tuesday sacked his Personal Assistant Admin, Special Duties and former Special Assistant on Stomach Infrastructure, Sunday Anifowose, popularly known as Sunshine, for voting former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the Saturday’s Peoples Democratic Party Primaries, according to SaharaReporters.

Abubakar on Sunday again emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP, having clinched the ticket also in 2019.

The Adamawa born politician defeated 12 other candidates in a keenly contested presidential primary held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Of the 764 accredited ballots at the election, Mr Abubakar polled 371 votes while his closest challenger, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, came second with 237 votes.

Fayose had in March 2022 called for support for Wike’s presidential ambition.

Fayose had described the Rivers Governor as a “man with exemplary character.”

“As an elder statesman, I know what is right and just. I am here as his brother, his friend, to a man with exemplary character. For Governor Wike, what you see is what you get,” Fayose said in Port Harcourt when a group of PDP chieftains, said to be Wike’s friends, presented the party presidential nomination form to the governor.

However, a source told SaharaReporters that Fayose is upset and angry with some delegates from Ekiti who voted for Atiku, against his choice.

It was learnt that Fayose sent a SOS message to some of his core supporters that Sunday (Sunshine) should never be seen close to his NTS Hotel at Ado Ekiti henceforth, for daring to go against his directive.

"Fayose is still making his findings to know the number of delegates from Ekiti that flouted his order, but since Sunshine’s vote for Atiku is clearly confirmed, Fayose has vowed to deal with him seriously for such action, despite the immediate verbal molestation and harassment of Sunshine on Saturday evening by Fayose at the Abuja hotel, where the state delegates were lodged," a source told SaharaReporters.

Another source while confirming the development said Fayose would not spare Sunshine and others who voted for Atiku against Wike.

“They disgraced Fayose, and they will be punished severely for the disrespect,” the source said.

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters was told that Sunday had started moving his belongings out of Fayose’s hotel at GRA, Onigaari, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state on Tuesday's morning.

Sunday Anifowose, who has been with Fayose for years, had in July 2017 led a programme tagged stomach infrastructure train in Fayose's administration.