Ekiti 2018: I’ll beat Fayose, PDP silly if…, Segun Oni boasts

A former governor of Ekiti State and the incumbent National Deputy Chairman (South) of the All Progressive Party (APC), Chief Segun Oni, has boasted that he will defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leader in the state, Governor Ayodele Fayose, if he emerges as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

Chief Oni, who addressed newsmen at the weekend, at his Ifaki home in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state to formally kick off his campaign for the APC 2018 governorship ticket, declared that he would return Ekiti to an APC-controlled state if given the chance to fly the party’s flag at the election.

Oni, who addressed newsmen ahead of his formal declaration and expression of interest in the race, scheduled for today Monday in Ado Ekiti, boasted that he would defeat Mr Fayose and whoever is his anointed candidate.

According to him, he would defeat Fayose, PDP and their candidate in all the 16 local government areas in the state, the same way, he (Fayose) defeated his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the APC in last election.

He contended that there was “nothing so spectacular in the acclaimed political wizardry of Fayose” who twice defeated incumbent governors of the state at different times, describing the political acclaim of Fayose as “product of sentiment”.

Oni said: “About Fayose, this is not a game of arrogance. He is not larger than life as being speculated. He, along with others once deployed their political machinery against me in certain political contest but if you recall, I still emerged victorious. So, what are you talking about?”

He explained that his interest to contest the state’s number one position, was in response to the growing clamour for his candidature by many residents and major stakeholders, who he claimed, told him his services were “earnestly needed”.

He said the irregular payment of workers’ salaries in the state as a product of wrong priorities in government’s policies and programmes, saying it was irrational for a state governor to be building multi-billion naira overhead bridge while workers welfare and wellbeing are left unattended.

He said he would use his return to power to instill a new social and economic order in the state as well as correct certain mistakes and errors he made during his first-term tenure, which was later terminated by the Appeal Court.

Besides, he said his love to take the state to the next level, rescue it from poverty, and make it rank as one of the best among the comity of states was his major driving force.

Oni declared that though his current position as a deputy national chairman of the ruling party commanded respect, glamour and high volume of honour, he preferred to be a state governor, so as to be able to use the platform to uplift lives as well as build the right type of social infrastructures.

“Though I am not hungry for power, I prefer to be governor of my state than being something else. I am not the type who prefer glamour to service,” he said.

He warned those who might think he would get back to office and shift ground on his well-known character of not throwing government money around to bury their thoughts, saying prudence management of the state’s resources remained sacrosanct on his plans for the state.

He promised to make doctrine of fairness, empowerment of local contractors, worker’s welfare, youth development and capacity building, as well as massive turn-around of infrastructure, the hallmark of his administration if voted into power.

On whether his ambition would not cause frosty relationship between him and his successor in office who is also current Minister of Mines and Steel Develpment, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is equally believed to be interested in re-contesting the gubernatorial poll, Segun Oni claimed ignorance about such ambition by Fayemi.

According to him, Fayemi had never told him that he was coming into the race, but said he would gladly welcome him whenever he does so, saying every qualified individual has the legitimate right to aspire to any office in the land without inhibition.

The APC chieftain said contrary to fears being expressed in some quarters, especially among several other aspirants of the party that the national secretariat of the party had concluded arrangements to impose him as candidate, the former governor said he was ready to face open primaries, and that the constitution even required him to also first resign his current appointment before the primaries.