The leaders, who appear to be in different camps, included himself; Senator Biodun Olujimi; former National Assembly member, Duro Faseyi; and the PDP state chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase.
Fayose, who spoke at a reconciliation meeting he held with party members and leaders including former political office holders, former and present party officials from ward to state levels at his Afao Ekiti residence in the Irepodun/Ifelodun Council area of the state, said, “The PDP in Ekiti State needs repositioning. We need unity to forge ahead.”
The PDP in the state has for some time been polarised over leadership issue between Fayose and Olujimi.
The former governor said, “What is crucial is for all of us to come together in the interest of the party. I am not contesting any election again, but I do not want the ladder that brought us up destroyed. I want us to reclaim the governorship. It is my duty to ensure that the party does not fail.
“Senator Olujimi, Senator Faseyi and Chief Oguntuwase should not be angry. I am sorry if I had offended them. I do not have to fight for the leadership of the party. Majority of those people dividing this party do so for selfish reasons. They do so for the purpose of what they stand to gain from the leaders.
“We are on a mission to reposition the party because truly we need a new attitude as members of this party. We must tell ourselves the truth that there is nothing to share in failure and we must join hands to achieve something tangible.
“I know some persons are aggrieved and I know we are humans. I apologise to all those that I have offended. Let us come together in unity for this our party not to die in this state. That is my priority as a leader.
“I am doing this one year after I left office just to allow the present All Progressives Congress government to display what they have for the people and you can all see for yourselves. I am not here for my selfish interest but just to ensure this party does not fail.
“Everybody should come back to the party. I am open to reconciliation. If Senator Biodun Olujimi calls you for a meeting tomorrow, go there and listen to her. All of us are leaders. Don’t let us factionalise this party. I am congratulating her and I don’t have any issue with her and I am sorry for what happened in the past.”
Fayose, who said vibrant, viable and competent members were free to contest for party offices in the next year’s congress, advised that it would be better for those who were financially stable to occupy the leadership positions in the party.
The former governor, who said the PDP ought not to have participated in last Saturday’s local government election in the state, said, “I told the party not to participate in the local government election. The All Progressives Congress had not been participating in such.
“When Chief Segun Oni conducted local government elections here, they did not participate. They did not participate in the local government elections that I conducted. Even when we conducted national elections, we saw what the APC did, much more local government elections.
“We ought not to parade our best for such a sham they called election. It is unfortunate we even lost a member to an election we ought not to have participated in.”
Among the PDP leaders at the meeting were a former Deputy Governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola; a former PDP deputy governorship candidate, Deji Ogunsakin; a former Commissioner for Environment, Chief Bisi Kolawole; and former House of Assembly Information Committee Chairman, Dr Sameuel Omotosho.
The PDP State chairman, Oguntuwase, had on Sunday declared seven days of mourning effective from Monday for the member, Dotun Kosedake, who was killed at Ikere Ekiti during the Saturday council election, saying party members should not gather for anything that would be against the spirit of mourning during the period.