Thus, among other things, APC is seen by the entire Ekiti people as that political party to set the tone for the 2018 Ekiti governorship race. And the party has restated its readiness to produce a candidate that would be acceptable to the Ekiti electorate so as to send the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) packing from the Ekiti Government House.
The APC aspirants have been busy with the delegates who are currently the beautiful brides of the party. Some of the aspirants said they have been interacting with the delegates for more than two years and have expressed the belief that the delegates would consider that fact that they had wooed and cajoled them. The aspirants said that they had even worked at convincing the delegates on the need to vote for a candidate that could win the governorship election for the party. And this has been the mantra among the party faithful for eon. Already, the state is all agog, waiting anxiously to see the candidate to be elected by the about 2,516 delegates from the 33 aspirants that have obtained the APC nomination form and passed its screening.
However, as much as APC leadership has stated its desire to conduct a free, fair and acceptable primary for the emergence of a candidate that is acceptable to all party members and the people of the state, there are still some levels of misgiving among some of the aspirants. Some of them have raised various forms of allegations and have pointed fingers at some of their co-aspirants.
The loudest of the cries has been about the deployment of money in the run up to the primary. The allegations of monetary inducement had risen so much that the state governor, Ayo Fayose, raised the alarm. He said on Thursday that “they (APC aspirants) are busy spending money as if we were in general election. And if truly we are fighting corruption, the way money is being moved around Ekiti, this can compromise this governorship election, even the 2019 election.”
The APC leadership in the state however saw the statement by Fayose as meddlesomeness, saying he should rather face his party which it claimed had stolen the nation dry. Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, spokesman of Ekiti APC, said, “Fayose is frustrated and jittery, let him mind his business. Yes, we will mobilise our members for the primary, but the allegation that we are sharing that kind of money by the governor is laughable. We will do everything that is right and within the constitution to send him out of the government house, so let him start packing. No amount of blackmail will stop or derail us. The Ekiti people are set for the APC and we will make sure we produce a candidate that is acceptable to the people.”
While the political parties are throwing their tantrums, the delegates have a choice to make from the following aspirants from the APC camp who have offered to serve Ekiti State as governor:
Chief Segun Oni
The former governor is seen by some observers of the primary to be among the favourites for the APC ticket. A good number of the larger Ekiti electorate also consider him to be a candidate that could win the election for the party. However, while the man on the street harbours his considerations, a lot of other factors determine how the members and delegates of a political party think and act. His fate in the governorship race, like that of the others, would be determined today. He is said to have Senator Bola Tinubu as his key backer.
Dr Kayode Fayemi
Dr Fayemi is the other former governor in the race and also a favourite for the ticket. As the immediate past governor of the state, some of the observers of the delegates’ election are of the opinion that, considering his influence in the party as a former governor, he should be able to muster enough delegates to emerge as the candidate. The Minister of Mines and Steel Development has told the people that he has “an unfinished business” and the opportunity to return to the business lies in the hands of the APC delegates in today’s shadow election. He is believed to have the backing of key members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s kitchen cabinet.
Dr Wole Oluyede
This accomplished physician has created a niche for himself in the APC, so much as to rank among the favourites for the ticket. Apart from coming from Ekiti South district, which has made a solid claim to the ticket, he also hails from Ikere-Ekiti where the rival Peoples Demicratic Party (PDP) is looking to pick its candidate from. Oluyede is one of the aspirants that have been working for a reasonable length of time to, not only keep the APC oiled, but also press home his desire to govern the state, which he said he could do better. It is believed that some delegates believe he would counter whatever the PDP offers through Ikere community, and this might prove vital.
Femi Bamisile
This former Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly began his quest for the APC ticket shortly after the party’s woeful loss in 2014. Even as a newcomer to the party then, having joined from PDP shortly before the 2014 election, he turned out to be more like a rallying point for the disillusioned APC faithful, who were in disarray after the electoral loss. Many in the state had held the opinion that he would soon fizzle out, but he has turned out to be the earliest and most enduring of the governorship aspirants. What all his efforts would amount to is awaited and would be seen by the end of the shadow election.
Senator Babafemi Ojudu
Senator Ojudu, apart from highlighting his altruistic credentials as an activist, has also been stressing the need for the aspirants to unite and keep APC alive and on the front burner. The former senator representing Ekiti Central also boasts of his being the only politician to have defeated Fayose (in a senatorial election). He banks on this as his strength, but what it means to the delegates would be seen.
Bamidele Faparusi
This strong proponent of Ekiti South Agenda has not hidden his desire to see the next governor of the state come from the South Senatorial district of the state and has consistently been working to achieve that goal. He had been accused of being selfish with the agitation by his co-APC members, but this former House of Representatives member has countered this by clarifying that “it is a matter of justice, equity and fairness.” The time has come for the delegates to react to his propositions.
Bimbo Daramola
The former House of Representatives member has become a household name through the numerous programmes he has initiated for the young and old in the state. His ambition was initially tied to that of Fayemi, his boss, until he obtained his own form and would stand against him in today’s shadow election for the same prize.
However, not a few people of the state are of the opinion that the rumoured ambition of his boss, Dr Fayemi, has kept his campaign on a leash. The waiting notwithstanding, the “Nitori Ojo Ola Wa” exponent hasn’t relented in his numerous initiatives to keep his name and actions on the lips of thousands of APC supporters in the nooks and crannies of the state, for obvious reasons. He has never hidden his disdain for ‘senior members of the party’ who, he said should be fathers rather than descending into the arena with them.
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB)
This vastly experienced ex-federal lawmaker isn’t taking the chance of his emerging the APC flag-bearer with levity, many in his camp have stated. He formally declared for the governorship race at his ward in Iyin-Ekiti, with a designed programme and, according to him, he came up with that after he had consulted in all the wards in the state. As things stand in his camp, his consultations are said to be in top gear in and outside the state as they prepare for the primary election. What many said was a rapprochement between MOB and Dr Fayemi, his number one ‘inimicus’ in the 2014 outing, they claim, has given the 2018 outing a fresh tinge of hope for a better outing.
Kola Alabi
Kola Alabi insisted that “KA is okay” and has not relented in his campaigns, despite the decision of the Ikere Development Forum (IDF) to back Dr Oluyede. His camp isn’t oblivious of the fact that “anything can happen” in politics and has therefore taken their consultations and campaigns to wider dimensions. What is more, Alabi is also from Ikere in the South and therefore, sees himself as being on the same pedestal as his co-contestants from the district, which has made a strong case for zoning.
Chief Sesan Fatoba
Chief Fatoba, a vastly experienced politician, administrator and retired permanent secretary, has been going about his campaign as a smooth operator. His camp sees him as the right choice for Ekiti, because he has been seen to lack baggage. Fatoba is among the Ikere sons vying for the APC ticket that was screened by the IDF but this calm, mature and suave politician from the days of military in politics has a way of pulling surprises.
Chief Dele Okeya
Chief Okeya has created a political empire that cannot be ignored, especially in his Emure community in Ekiti South. Thus, his camp sees his experience and managerial prowess as his bully pulpit in gunning for the APC ticket. His South heritage also comes to the mind of his supporters as an opportunity to grab the APC ticket and, like the experienced politician contends, “give Ekiti the true leadership the state deserves at a time like this.” He is also in the field working and the results would be known after the primary.
Dr Bayo Orire
This first-class medical doctor has made a strong case for himself as one of the very few Ekiti politicians that are truly based in Ekiti. His thriving medical complex in Adebayo area in the state capital, many politicians admit, is one of the cradles of politics in the state, as they claim that their progressive movement in the state started at the Orire Hospitals complex. The Orire team is of the opinion that aspirants like Oni should not be in the race and had also expressed reservations about the ambition of Fayemi. It is believed that the Orire team is moving to impress this on the party›s delegates with the aim of clinching the APC ticket.
Senator Ayo Arise
Senator Ayo Arise joined the race at a time many saw as auspicious and many others saw as otherwise. He is a friend and close political ally of Segun Oni and many had expressed the belief that he would have just thrown his weight behind Oni. But Arise has some other ideas. He said recently, while celebrating his survival and a safe return from kidnappers den that it was fair for all of them in APC to vie for the party’s ticket and afterwards, if his friend is the winner, he would support him.
He has been living his dream since he joined the race and his camp isn’t letting off. His supporters believe that Arise is the only aspirant that cuts across APC and PDP, having been in both before joining the former just before the 2015 general election. He is from the North like his friend, Oni and is seen by some aspirants from the South as sabotaging their chances of producing the APC candidate. But his argument is that Ekiti State isn’t one for zoning because there had always been aspirants from all parts of the state, each political dispensation.
Dr (Mrs) Christiana Yaya-Kolade
Dr Yaya-Kolade made what many observers described as “a very fine outing” when she became the first, and so far, the only female aspirant in the race for the APC ticket. The Nigeria/foreign trained versatile health expert, at her declaration, gave a good account of herself and the people who were at the ceremony saw her as a pointer to the quality personnel in the APC. However, she would vie for the governorship ticket like every other aspirant and, according to sources in her camp, the necessary action for a successful outing in the primary election is ongoing.
Dr Oluwole Oluleye
The former Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) boss, since his declaration, according to some members of the APC, has been in the shadow of the other aspirants in the state. Perhaps, the lack of presence of the Efon-born successful entrepreneur in the state-run media led to this kind of summation. However, another school of thought pooh-poohed the contention, holding that the primary election had nothing to do with media presence. His camp, in aligning with the second opinion, said he is working underground to ensure that at the end of the primaries, he clinches the ticket to determinedly pursue his agenda to transform Ekiti State.
Captain Sunday Adebomi
The United States war veteran has been on ground in Ekiti for nearly two years, working steadily for the governorship ticket of the APC. Some observers had expressed doubts about his real intentions when he set out, but they appear convinced now that the primaries are months away and Adebomi has not let off. He has insisted that his hard work and divine intervention, as well as his coming from (Ekiti South) Ikere-Ekiti, would work for him as he goes about wooing the party’s delegates. Members of his camp believes that “Adebomi is a fearless warrior that has stood the vagaries of APC and the storms of the ruling PDP in the state” and believe that these would work for him at the primary election.
Senator Gbenga Aluko
Senator Aluko has been meeting with APC delegates at his Ode-Ekiti community in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, with a view to convincing them on the need to “vote wisely”, which to him means voting for him to clinch the ticket. The bigger picture, observers contend, is that it should be him or someone else from the South. His camp believes that anything short of a credible, untainted primary election would not augur well for APC, “hence the need for the party to ensure a credible primaries.”
Mr Muyiwa Olumilua
The son of a former governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, Muyiwa has displayed a fantastic grasp of local politics of Ekiti and has always displayed this at various fora. His APC credentials are also not in doubt, following his services to the state as a member of the Dr Kayode Fayemi’s government. He has also been working as his own man, with his supporters pointing out that he has not been running on the name of his father, a top APC chief in the state.
He kicked when the Ikere elite, through the IDF, settled for Dr Oluyede and had insisted on going on with his campaigns. He’s been on it and the end, his supporters hope, would justify the means.
and then