A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Friday, dismissed reports suggesting that he has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The outspoken former governor has been critical of the PDP national leadership led by Iyorchia Ayu after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Fayose, through a statement he personally signed, said he remains a committed member of the PDP.
The former governor clarified that he did not resign from the party, but only stepped aside.
He urged Nigerians to support and vote for the PDP in next Saturday’s governorship and houses of assembly elections.
Fayose, who said he is not a member of the APC, however said he has great respect for Tinubu.
“I am still a bona fide member of the PDP. I only said I stepped aside because I need to speak the truth to power without the fear of my view being tainted by party colouration. Resigning from a political party has procedures and the same will be followed if I strongly find the need to leave the party.
“It is important that we have somebody that can say the truth without wearing any party toga.
“I am a member of the PDP; I am a member of the PDP National Executive Committee, a member of the party caucus, member of the Board of Trustees based on my position as a former chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. It’s a lifetime membership. But Nigeria is bigger than any party,” Fayose said in the statement.