‘YOMI AYELESO, in this report, writes on some undercurrents in the ongoing political realignment among main political gladiators in Ekiti State across political affiliations.
A little over a year ago, Ekiti State was literally on edge in the build up to the governorship poll. Major political actors fired from all cylinders to strategically position themselves or their anointed candidates for the 2022 election. The electioneering pitted brothers against one another culminating into tension and acrimony. The bitterness, which in some cases traversed political affiliations, subsisted after the outcome of the poll. That season of storm has subsided, with the emerging trend the fulcrum of major public discourse. According to some observers, leaders from different political divides are fast closing ranks, forging new alliances and identities.
Perhaps, the current political situation in state is unprecedented since the return of democratic rule in 1999 where incumbent governor will be enjoying support and collaboration of top leaders from the state, including elder statesmen who were hitherto not known to be in agreement with those at the helm of affairs in the state. Many stakeholders and indeed residents have been asking questions on how the governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji in just a year in office, was able to change the political narratives leading to endorsement and support from leaders most noticeably opposition figures and former governors of the state. The governor at inauguration on October 16, 2022 promised through his six-pillar agenda across the major sectors to take governance to the doorsteps of the residents by allowing them ownership of the government. This, he has done with the regular and periodic engagements across communities and local government areas where stakeholders converged to lay bare their expectations and the governor listened to feedback directly from the citizens. The governor has, in the first year in office, imparted significantly on the people through his policies and activities on infrastructures, social investment, healthcare, education and opening up the state for investment opportunities.
These and many more may have necessitated the insinuations and assumptions that Ekiti is almost sliding into a one-party state with no recognised figures and parties willing to play the role of an opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. At a time when political analysts are lamenting lack of credible opposition voices in the state, prominent leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor, Ayodele Fayose recently pulled another surprise from his bag of tricks. The erstwhile governor, in company of former Ekiti State governors, Adeniyi Adebayo and Dr Kayode Fayemi, said that Oyebanji has been endorsed for a second term in office. The three former governors, who spoke through Fayose, said they had reviewed Oyebanji’s one year in office and believe he deserved a second term, having united every political and religious tendencies in the state and mobilized the people for massive development. They all gave their backing to Governor Oyebanji at a special thanksgiving service organized to mark the first anniversary of his administration which was held at the Cathedral Church of Emmanuel Okesa, Ado Ekiti and attended by eminent personalities from all walks of life. First to be invited to make a speech among the former governors was Dr Fayemi who said: “We are Ekiti and we observe seniority, even among governors, we observe ranking. We all feel the same way about the current occupant of the seat. It is the most senior among us (Adebayo) that should address the people first.” Adebayo said: “I am the most senior of the (former) governors; I will call my younger brother, Ayo Fayose, to address this gathering.” Fayose said: “You know me very well that I am not the one who will tell you what you like. I will always tell you as it is. We are all together for Abiodun Oyebanji, I am not a member of your party (APC) and I will not be. I am with you (Oyebanji) 100 per cent. Where is Bisi Kolawole, PDP governorship candidate? We are going to support you (Oyebanji), you have come to visit me in my house several times. You are doing it differently and you will get a different result. This church will pray for you and you will do it (governorship) a second time.”
Fayose said the old practice in Ekiti was more of a sitting governor witch-hunting the predecessor. “When I was here I was after Fayemi, when Fayemi was here he too was witch-hunting me. But you are doing it differently. You have united all of us and your performance is superlative. On your matter, all of us are unanimous in our support for you. You are doing well; your leadership style is different and I am not surprised your performance has been excellent. Ekiti will do well to have you for eight years. And all of us will support and mobilize for you to achieve that. I am not at your party, and some people will say it is too early. It is not too early. You have done well and you deserve two terms so that Ekiti will benefit from your purposeful leadership.” After Fayose’s speech, Adebayo said: “This is the position of us, the former governors. Thank you very much.”
Another former governor of the state and candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chief Segun Oni who appeared to be missing in the gale of endorsement for the incumbent governor during the first anniversary has joined the fray of leaders announcing support for governor Oyebanji. Last week, Oni was at the Government House Chapel to join Governor Oyebanji for the Sunday worship alongside some members of his immediate family and political associates, saying he was in the service to fulfill a promise he had earlier made to Governor Oyebanji to come and worship with him at the Government House Chapel, having missed the opportunity to join the governor for the special thanksgiving service held on October 22, in commemoration of his first anniversary in office. He called on stakeholders in the Ekiti project to join hands with Governor Oyebanji to achieve a landmark success for the collective progress of the State, emphasizing the fact that politics remains an avenue to serve the people, adding that election and election petitions are part of the constitutional processes of democracy. It is good to contest an election. It is also good to challenge the outcome in the court. And after that, you move on. We should run politics. Politics should not run us. This is the time we should all join hands together with Governor Oyebanji to develop the State,” he said.
Oni expressed delight at the transformation being experienced in the state within the last one year, saying that it is an attestation to Governor Oyebanji’s exemplary and visionary leadership. According to the former governor, “I have come here to fellowship with everybody, especially my brother, the governor, and to also tell politicians, we should give our self-holiday sometimes from politics and politicking.” He commended the governor for various infrastructure projects as well as the ongoing efforts at ensuring all abandoned projects are completed including the Ado-Ifaki road. “I will say he has been very impressive, he is a gift to us as a people and I believe that he has a perfect composure to move us forward.” He charged the governor to continue to trust in God for the realization of his shared prosperity agenda even in the face of the meager resources available to the state.
Also, an elder statesman and candidate of the Accord Party during the 2022 governorship election, Chief Reuben Famuyibo visited the governor last week Friday at the governor’s office, where he also endorsed Oyebanji for second term. He lauded the governance style of the governor which he said was soothing and that he would do everything possible to support the administration towards achieving his shared prosperity agenda for the state. When asked on what the future holds politically, the former presidential aspirant said, “I am here to commend the governor for his humility and how he is bringing everybody together in the state and let me say here that the second term of governor Oyebanji is sure. I don’t think anyone will be ready to contest against him in future.”
During last Saturday’s local government election in the state, the major opposition parties, PDP and SDP were absent and did not participate in the process with 14 other parties fielding candidates. Many analysts say this might not be unconnected with an alleged understanding existing between the government and the leaders of the two opposition parties in the state. Of course, the ruling APC cleared all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in the poll.
However, the South-West publicity secretary of the PDP, Chief Sanya Atofarati dismissed the endorsement of the governor by those he described as few individuals , saying their opinions did not represent the general view of the citizens towards the APC government. He said: “We can say some people are praising the governor but that does not represent the majority of Ekiti people. What has the governor done to warrant commendation? We have queried the abandonment of the purported airport, what has happened to it? Let us look at the last Saturday local government election, where the governor himself confirmed low turnout of voters and that is to show the extent of which people have lost confidence in the current government and rejected them.
“Why will the people of Ekiti, who are predominantly farmers without farms tell the world that they are happy? What has the governor done to enhance agriculture because that seems to be our occupation in Ekiti?”
Many observers are wondering the basis for the series of endorsement and commendation when the governor has only spent one out of four years in office. They contended that such an endorsement could end up doing greater harm than good. They felt that praising someone who has just started a race, may distract him from ending the race well.
However, when governor Oyebanji was asked last weekend on his reactions to the growing endorsement by political actors which many said may be a distraction, he said, “ I don’t see it as a distraction, I just see it that it places a lot of burden on me to continue to do those things that makes them to praise me. So it is more of a burden for more quality leadership and I must not disappoint them because they have gone public to say it.”
Oyebanji added: “When the people are happy with a government, when a government is accountable, when the government connects with the people, that is what we get. If I tell you the magic wand, you won’t believe but I am a very spiritual person. The Bible says when the will of man pleases God, enemies will be at peace with him, that is the secret. All those supports you are seeing are unconditional, I have not done anything to them. It is the fulfillment of the Bible. My both parents are teachers and I was brought up with a very strict moral attitude and I was brought in the way of the Lord, my mum used to tell me that in life I will be confronted with two choices; what is good and what is right and she said I should always do the right thing.”
It is not the first time political gladiators will be breaking the barriers. Similar reapprochment in other places in the past only endured for a short period. Will the new alliances in Ekiti be a marked difference?
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