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  • APC, PDP, LP battle for Ekiti

    APC, PDP, LP battle for Ekiti

    Political parties are warming up for the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State. Their candidates are campaigning vigorously across the 16 local governments. Sulaiman Salawudeen highlights the issues that will shape the poll in the Fountain of Knowledge.

    The die is cast in Ekiti State. On  June 21, the governorship election will hold in 16 local government areas. The candidates are boasting that they are going to win with a wide margin. But, it is only when the results are  announced that the boys would be separated from the men.

    Three weeks to the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and his  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) counterparts; Mr. Ayo Fayose and Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele; are campaigning vigorously to gain an upperhand. Out of 18 parties, only the APC, the PDP and the LP  passed the certification test by  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).  The assessment was based on  many factors including, financial muscle,  the spread and popularity of the parties and their campaign strategies.

    The open air campaigns, which started about two months ago, may not necessarily determine who emerges as the governor at the end of the day. According to observers,  more fundamental  is the strength of the parties. This observers say, would be complemented by the campaigns.

    The parties appear to be leveraging on the partisan campaigns  to beat the INEC directive, which stipulates that open air campaigns must end by 6p.m. This is because there is no limit to the period that any of the candidates or their accredited representatives could call at the residence of anyone for consultations and  ralllies.

    In spite of the violence that has characterised the campaigns, the major contenders are banking on the promise that votes would count. Therefore, the campaigns have gradually into the door-to-door and person-on-person mode to woo voters.

    Many rallies and campains have been held in the past weeks. There have been numerous ‘cross-carpeting’, as splinter groups  across the parties switch loyalty.

    It was the LP that set the pace by admitting members of the APC into its fold. The PDP, on the other hand, has been reconciling members, following its rancorous primaries. As the campaign progressed, the focus shifted to the ruling APC. Everyone was eager to see the party’s joker. Four weeks ago,  former Governor Segun Oni disclosed that he would team up with the APC candidate to sustain the development pace in Ekiti State. Alhough the three contenders had promised to restrict their campaigns to issues, the fear that violence may mar the poll has continued to disturb  major stakeholders. This has compelled the police and traditional rulers to broker peace among the parties. Now, the situation may  have been brought under control as the candidates have vowed to deal with overzealous supporters  crying more than the bereaved.

    There is a sensational adulation  of Fayose by some spectators at campaigns  more circumspect segment  queue behind Fayemi, based on a number of factors. Pundits rank Bamidele third, behind Fayemi and Fayose. Though the PDP and the LP candidates have  assured their supporters that they would win the election, many are of the view that it was a show of bravado.  The critical success factors include the public rating of the incumbent, party structures, membership drive and established voting patterns.

     

    Incumbency factor

     

    So far, the public assessment of Fayemi has been favourable. Today, Ekiti people cutting across the academia and other professions have rated the governor high on performance. They are openly supporting him based, on excellent performance.

    To them, Fayemi’s Eight Point Agenda has revealed the  test of  leadership. The governor has performed in critical sectors, including  infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, empowerment/employment, tourism.

    Professor Ladipo Adamolekun,  explained that “Fayemi’s performance in governance has ranked him well in the class of achievers  in the mould of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

    Afenifere leaders, after visting the project sites, described Fayemi’s performance in superlative terms. They were among the 50 different groups  and individuals, who have  endorsed the governor for another  term and  volunteered to campaign for him. On the contrary, it is believed that, if Fayemi had done poorly in governance, the assessment would also have reflected such and have affected his public rating.

    According to observers, no town or community in the 17-year-old state is shortchanged in the distribution physical projects and political appointments. Monarchs are carried along through their involvement in the state-sponsored Community Self Help Project.

     

    Party organisation

     

    According to observers, the APC is the  best organised party in Ekiti State. The party has also promoted internal democracy. This is evident in the selection of its candidate for the June 21 poll and its membership drive. To such observers, this attribute has contributed to the  coherence and unity of purpose in the fold.

    The APC has updated its membership records  and mobilised it members to obtain permanent voter cards. According to one of the observers: “What the APC has done  is  more than enough, but they are not taking any chances. It is the only party, which has no faction in whatever guise and therefore, no ‘disgruntled elements’. It is also the only party that promoted an open drive for members, at the end of which it netted 326,000 members.

    “It took the lead in the commencement of open air campaigns. It has gone round the state two times and  still not relenting. The party has also conducted two successful mega rallies, bringing together members across the 16 councils.

    “But, the PDP can be regarded only to the contrary, having shown far less seriousness and brothely love among themselves. No observable membership drive and no intra-party coherence. Although it claims its membership base is over 300,000, it was just one haphazard fixture backed neither by moves nor evidence.” While the APC held its primaries without any rancour and chose its  candidate’s running mate in an atmosphere of peace,  the PDP,  is perceived as moving from one confusion to another.

    The PDP primaries was a failure.

    It was marred by irregularities, which further exacerbated the already strained intra-party relations. Fayose is seen essentially as an unfaithful interloper in the PDP brought to satisfy the party leadership, a leadership which does not connect with certain realities in the organisation of the party. Owing to the way Fayose emerged, many  PDP members have dumped the party for other parties, especially the APC while some “have decided to remain and work against Fayose”.

    Also, instead of using  the opportunity of choosing the running mate to assuage feelings and launder the party’s image, Fayose’s choice of Dr. Olubunmi Olusola from Ikere Ekiti, instead of  Dr. Dare Bejide, one of those aggrieved by the outcome of the primaries, has not helped matters. The aggrieved aspirants are now spoiling for war, not only with Fayose, but the national leadsership of the party for breaching the agreement with them. They have consequently threatened to call it quits with the party. The collapse of a podium in Ifaki-Ekiti while Fayose and whole legion others were campaigning has been described as a bad omen.

    According to observers, the creation by Fayemi of a separate campaign outfit to take care of strategies and operations is further affirmation that the APC operates on ‘hard reason and logic’, rather than on “emotions”. This, according to analysts, is unlike the PDP and the LP, where campaign organisations exist only in name, while all arrangements and strategies, including the branding of vests and other outfits and printing of posters and pamphlets, revolve around the candidates.

     

    Membership drive

     

    The APC and the PDP have roots in all the 177 wards and 2,195 polling units in the state and recent campaign efforts have further complemented the fortunes of the parties.

    The PDP, which was been  disorderly initially, has had a better showing lately, especially after the emergence of Fayose who, in a way, has been able to oil the party machinery. Even, the LP candidate, using his position as a member of the National Assembly, has reached out to most wards, especially those in Ekiti Central.

    But, the APC  seems to be ahead, in terms of the communities networking effort, using the projects Fayemi has executed across the 132 towns. The success of the social security scheme in which 25,000 elderly citizens get N5,000 monthly, has bolstered the governor’s campaign efforts in many ways. Further, the fact that all three senators representing Ekiti, five out of six House of Representatives members and 25 out of 26 state assembly members belong to the APC is equally a boost for Governor Fayemi’s re-election campaign effort.

    Also in the party’s favour is the established voting patterns across zones. The swing communities of Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and Ido/Osi seem to be tilted towards the incumbent governor.

     

    Ekiti South

     

    Ekiti South has been the stronghold of the APC,  since Fayemi came on board. In the last presidential election, Southwest states voted for President Goodluck Jonathan.

    President Jonathan in 2011 won only in Ekiti North and Central, but not in the South, suggesting that the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) now APC has a massive support in that zone. Senator Lawrence Agunbiade, and former Ondo State governor, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, the federal lawmaker, Ife Arowosoge, Bamidele Faparusi, are few of the formidable political players from the zone.

    But, the highest vote from the zone is always from Ikere, being the second most populated town in Ekiti. However, the town has always been voting for opposition. For instance, in the 2003 governorship election, Ikere voted for former Governor Fayose against Adebayo. In 2007, when Fayemi contested againt Segun Oni, Fayemi won in the town. However, given the fact that the town has enjoyed a lot of developmental projects and political appointments from the current administration, Fayemi has a big following in the town.

     

    Ekiti North

     

    Ekiti North, the base of the governor, also parades high-ranking politicians and government officials that can swing the votes in favcour of Fayemi. Among them are Segun Oni from Ido-Osi; Babatunde Odetola, another strong party member from Ido-Osi; the Head of Servive (HOS), Mr. Olubunmi Famosaya,  from Oye; Secretary to Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, from Oye; Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation’s Director General, Bimbo Daramola from Oye; and a PDP stalwart, Mr. Ben Ogun-tunase, from Ikole.

    Chief Paul Alabi, another PDP chieftain and former deputy governor are believed to be supporting Fayemi. The PDP is particularly disadvantaged in this regard, as no high-ranking government official at the federal level is from the zone.

    The  Ido/Osi local government has been the enclave of the PDP since 1999. former Governor Oni, former ambassador and education minister, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and former Aviation Minister, Prof. Babalola Abori-shade are from the area.

    After Fayemi had assumed office, the PDP still  proved its dominance by winning a seat in the House of Assembly. Hon. Bunmi Oriniowo, who recently decamped into the APC alongside his political father, Oni, emerged despite the incumbency power of the defunct ACN.

    Now,  Oni is a chieftain of the APC. His foot soldiers; Taiwo Olatunbosun, Kayode Babade and Ben Oguntunase, have not been playing any critical role in the PDP. It was even gathered that they were among the lot who opposed the emergence of Fayose as the party’s flag bearer.

    When former Vice President Atiku Abubaka was about to defect to the APC, Borishade  played very significant role in the deal, which means that he would work for Fayemi. Analysts have predicted a resounding victory for the APC in Ido-Osi and the Northern axis.

     

    Ekiti Central

     

    Ekiti Central is the most difficult zone. It is the home of Bamidele, Fayose and Fayemi’s running mate, Prof. Modupe Adelabu. In 2003 and 2007, Ado, like Ikere, voted for the opposition party. But, this had resulted from the irreconcilable  differences between the incumbent and the people of the town. In 2003, they accused Adebayo of not developing the town to a befitting status 2007, they accused Fayose of opposing the town’s monarch.

    The Ewi of Ado,  has openly supported Fayemi for a second term in office. He is  pushing for his success. Ewi’s support not unconnected with Fayemi’s urban renewal programmes which is believed to have elevated the capital  into a modern city.

    The swing communities of Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and Ido/Osi, the APC maintains a clear lead. Ido Osi, from the analysis, is a clear axis of strategy and possible tragedy. Fayemi’s is backed by Oni who is popular in this area. Although the PDP has dismissed Oni as “a mere paper tiger,” towns people hold him in high esteem.

     

    Rigging

     

    There are challenges for the APC.

    While the party’s performance has been responsible for its popularity and acceptability among the enlightened segments, including teachers, lecturers, lawyers, civil/public servants, doctors, nurses, the market men and women, it has also been strangely responsible for its alienation from other segments, including commercial motorcycle riders and others whose understanding of responsible governance is nill.

    The PDP, has launched attacks from the rear, bolstered by opportunistic recourse to the initial strained relationship the administration and  teachers, following upon the insistence on the Teachers’ Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) test, the promotion examination and staff audit, which led to the sack of some senior workers across the 16 councils.

    But,  Fayemi may have doused the tension through recent meetings with both groups which, according to sources, “have started yielding results. Some officials of the teachers’ and council workers’ unions even clarified in a meeting: “They often say a known devil is better than an unknown saint. But given this ‘fight’ (the June 21 election) between Fayemi and Fayose, it is just a case of a difficult saint against a well known devil. We have made decisions, based on what we know about the two candidates and our members will act wisely.”

    To further nullify the effects of the  strained relationships with teachers, Fayemi recently announced the cancellation of the TDNA and approved the payment of 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Pecuniary Allowance,  for teachers since his administration came on board.

     

    Fear of rigging

     

    Although, the APC leadership  has continued to allay fears about so-called federal might for the PDP candidate, analysts maintain that the possibility of rigging ‘is high.  The Anambra State poll was bungled.

    While  the INEC has allayed fears about rigging  the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to foist a candidate believed to be unpopular  on the Ekiti PDP has not doused the anxiety.  There are two issues, will the police protect the votes.Will INEC prevent rigging? June 21 will tell.

  • ‘Fayemi deserves second term’

    ‘Fayemi deserves second term’

    In this piece, social critic Dare Babalola contends that Governor Kayode Fayemi will have an edge over other candidates because of his impressive performance in the last three and half years.

    As the countdown to the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State begins, the candidates have been delving into their respective individual histories to convince the electorate to vote for them. For former Governor Ayo Fayose, his singsong has been that he is no longer the Fayose that was governor 10 years ago. From one rally to the other, especially in locations where many of his actions had alienated the people from him, Fayose repeatedly claimed that he is now ‘born again’ and would be a different governor if given another chance.

    It has been another ballgame with the incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is leveraging on the execution of his eight-point agenda to convince the electorate that he deserves a second term on the crest of his performance.

    The flagship of the Fayemi government is the infrastructure development of the state. Fayemi has used his campaign rallies to point at many roads he has constructed or rehabilitated in all parts of the state, bringing the attention of every community to how they have benefitted under the scheme. He had promised in 2010 that the scheme is to establish optimum communities that will improve citizen’s lives and attract investments so much that by 2014, all parts of the state is accessible by major roads, making water dams in the state functional to increase water supply by 80per cent and engage in private-public partnership for independent power projects. To actualise the vision, he embarked on the construction of five kilometre road in each of the 16 local governments bringing the total to 81.5 kilometres in the first phase. The second phase covered another 91 kilometres across the 16 local councils. A total of 958 kilometres of federal, state and local government roads have been rehabilitated, reconstructed and/or constructed in the last three and half years. The highpoint is the dualization of major highways in the state capital complete with road furniture that has transformed the face of Ado Ekiti into a modern state capital.   The government is also currently laying 400 kilometres long water pipelines to provide pipe-borne water for every community in the state as envisioned in the eight-point agenda.

    The vision of the Fayemi Government is to establish a knowledge economy that will ensure that skilled manpower, for which the state is renowned, becomes an economic advantage. In three years, the government renovated 836 primary schools and 183 secondary schools. The government also established 24 new primary schools in 2011 and another 18 in 2012 bringing the number of primary schools from 776 in 2010 to 836 by 2012.These initiatives has led to remarkable increase in primary school enrolment which jumped from 155,296 in 2010 to 170,768. This trend has been repeated in secondary school enrolment making Ekiti State the highest per capita in terms of public school enrolment in the country.

    In its effort at promoting e-learning and making the students competitive in the global economy, it distributed 33,000 laptops free of charge to students and 18,000 laptops to teachers at a subsidised price. The government also introduced the payment of Rural Allowance to teachers in the rural areas. It introduced the payment of Core Subject Allowance to teachers of subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and Biology to promote the teaching of science and ensure that Ekiti students are competitive in this age of technology. In tertiary education, the government restored peace and industrial harmony to Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti; reduced fees paid in higher institutions and introduced various scholarship schemes to help many indigent and brilliant students of the state. Between 2011 and 2013, a total sum of N315.7Million was disbursed as scholarship to 2,329 students while bursary awards of N148.2Million were paid to a total of 9,919 beneficiaries.

    These initiatives have not taken time to yield fruits. Although Ekiti State has always being renowned for high literacy level, the level of literacy in the state has further gone up from 67 percent in 2011 to 72.2percent by 2012. In the formal sector, the state has recorded many recognitions of the advancement in education. The state has won the Best Overall Performance State in the Annual National Mathematics and Science Competitions by Science Teachers (STAN); first position in Mathematics for Senior Secondary School Category in the National Quiz competition organised by MAN in 2013; first position in ANCOPPS National Stage Quiz/Essay Competition in 2013; Best Male Student in 2013 WAEC Result and for two years running; has produced the best student in the Nigerian Law School.

    It is in recognition of these remarkable strides that the World Bank recently announced a $10 million support for the state under the State Education Programme Investment Project (SEPIP).

    Fayemi has also recorded significant strides in the provision of healthcare services. He introduced free health care for pregnant women, children under the age of five, elderly citizens, the physically challenged persons and people living with HIV/AIDS. He renovated all general hospitals in the state and constructed a new one, Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, in the state capital, to bring healthcare service to the doorsteps of the people. He constructed a Cancer Diagnostic and Wellness Centre, named after his late deputy, Aduni Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti. In general, Fayemi has increased the number of health care facilities in the state from the 350 he inherited 2010 to 495.

    Beyond the walls of the hospitals and the health facility centres, Fayemi introduced a regime of health missions through which specialized teams of medical personnel travel across the communities to provide healthcare services to the people. At the last count, 363,050 persons have benefitted from the programme. Another 7,850 persons have benefitted from the Ilera Lafin programme through which health care services are taken to the palaces of the traditional rulers for the benefits of the communities, bringing number of beneficiaries of the health outreach programmes to 370,900.

    The benefits of these initiatives are beginning to manifest. The state now has the lowest infant mortality in the country. It has the lowest maternal mortality in the country as well. It presently has the highest life expectancy in the country at 55 years; against the national life expectancy of 47 years. These records are not surprising given the response of the people to the healthcare initiatives of Fayemi. For instance, in-patient attendance of public health care facilities jumped from 9,448 in 2010 to 11,867 by 2012. Delivery of birth in the secondary health facilities increased from 2,190 in 2010 to 2,823 by 2012, while out-patient attendance at secondary health facilities rose from 62,374 in 2010 to 85,730 by 2012.

    A major initiative of the Fayemi administration is the enactment of the Ekiti State Senior Citizen Welfare Law under which citizens above the age of 65 are entitled to a monthly stipend of N5,000. The government has enrolled 25,000 senior citizens of the state under the scheme. The senior citizens also enjoy free medical service.

     

    In the area of industrial development, Fayemi resuscitated the Ire Burnt Bricks Industry which had been moribund for 23 years, established enterprise development centre sat Iloro, Aisegba and Ilupeju to train the people in entrepreneur skills, increased the number of small scale industries from 1,066 in 2011 to 2,257 by 2012 through the provision of a conducive environment and several economic empowerment schemes. He also remodelled the Ikogosi Warm Springs and embarked on a scheme to develop the tourism corridor of the state.

    For gender equality and development, Fayemi led the way in the country when he enacted the Gender-based Violence (Prohibition) Bill and the reservation of at least one third of all appointments and promotions for women. Skill acquisition programmes has been provided for girls out of school, the number of women based cooperative societies has been increased from 100 to 386 between 2010 and 2011 and micro credit facility has been extended to over 5,000 women and special empowerment schemes were designed for market women.

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Fayose, Omisore plan to import thugs as poll monitors’

    ‘Fayose, Omisore plan to import thugs as poll monitors’

    •PDP candidate’s aide dismisses allegation

    A youth group, Ekiti Youth Emancipation Movement (EYEM), has alleged plan by the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti and Osun states, Ayodele Fayose and Iyiola Omisore, to bring in thugs as monitors during June 21 election.

    EYEM, which made this allegation in a statement signed by its president, Taiwo Olatunji, indicated that both Fayose and Omisore had already succeeded in registering spurious groups as monitors in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State.

    Their real intention, the group claimed, was “to use these so-called monitors from Osun State and Niger-Delta areas as a cover to bring in thugs and guns.”

    But the Director of Media and Publicity, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, yesterday dismissed the allegation as untrue.

    The EYEM’s statement reads: “These poll monitors, we gather, had already been registered with INEC. These Fayose’s and Omisore’s imported thugs, masked as poll monitors, would then be deployed to all polling units with cloned voter’s cards on election day with the mandate to destroy ballot boxes and papers wherever APC is leading in the poll.

    “The PDP is feverishly worried that Fayemi will record a sweeping victory in the election, hence its plan to cause a stalemate.

    “We are waiting to see how these aliens will be in possession of voter’s cards in Ekiti State. We would like to know their polling units, wards and local governments in Ekiti.”

    EYEM called on all residents of Ekiti State to be vigilant and defend their state from being encroached on by violent elements.

    Dismissing the allegation yesterday, Aribisogan said: “Omisore has no reason to come to Ekiti on the day of election to do anything. And we want to make it clear that we don’t have interaction with the Niger Delta people. So, this is a lie.

    “As a matter of fact, we suspect that the EYEM is the brain behind such evil intention because we never knew the group. It is faceless. For them to have had such in mind, means that they are the one planning to rig the poll.

    “The ruling APC government is planning to rig by making use of polling observers, monitors and others and to us in PDP, EYEM must be one of such frivolous groups.”

  • Fayemi’s, Fayose’s groups trade claims over ‘attacks by thugs’

    Fayemi’s, Fayose’s groups trade claims over ‘attacks by thugs’

    THE last may not have been heard about the spate of hostility unfolding in Ekiti State as the camps of two leading contenders in the race for next month election again accused each other of perpetrating violence.

    According to the All Progressives Congress (APC), suspected thugs of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ayo Fayose, allegedly descended on their members in Efon area of the state during a ward meeting with dangerous weapons.

    The ruling party in the state claimed that its members sustained serious injuries and many properties were destroyed.

    Also yesterday, the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO) alleged an attack on the convoy of the PDP candidate at Fajuyi Roundabout, Ado-Ekiti, by APC thugs.

    But narrating their own story, APC members said they were holding their ward meetings in the 10 wards of the town when PDP thugs started moving from one ward to the other attacking APC members and state officials who were around to monitor them.

    “The thugs were armed with axes, cutlasses, guns and charms. They dealt machete cut on one Babade Akinola from ward five. They also destroyed the house of the security man to the Local Government Chairman, Mr. Adio Folayan and beat up his wife. A female teenager who was hawking goods was beaten up because her parents are APC members.

    “As if that was not enough, the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Chief (Mrs.) Aderonke Okusanya, a native of Efon went to the Police Station to lodge complaint but behold, right there and then in the presence of the Police  Area Commander, she was attacked with a knife by Fayose’s thugs and she could not be protected.

    “The knife tore her dress into pieces while her driver was stabbed in the mouth. The back windscreen of her vehicle was smashed and the car is still parked at the police station,” the party stated.

    Mrs. Okusanya was reportedly attacked by one Gbenga Alaga, a Fayose thug, while the windscreen of her car was also allegedly smashed by one Femi Okeya, who was said to be a Fayose thug.

    The party also recalled that after a Labour Party (LP) rally in Ikere-Ekiti at the weekend, some thugs who were reportedly working for Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele under the command of one Ade Basket shot a member of the APC, Otunba Femi Ayodele, in the neck. Ayodele is still receiving treatment for the wounds he sustained.

    The thugs also reportedly wounded many APC supporters and destroyed billboards of Governor Kayode Fayemi, the APC secretariat in Ikere and burnt the generating set there.

    “It is unfortunate that the police has been looking the other way while APC members are being attacked daily. The incident in Efon where a State Commissioner is attacked right in the presence of the Area Commander who could not protect her calls for concern.

    “We call on the security agents to be alive to their responsibility in protecting lives and property of our members while we appeal to APC members to remain calm in the face of daily provocation. Even though our members will not take laws into their hands, they may be left with no alternative than to defend themselves if the security agents could no longer do so,” the party stated’

    However, AFCO’s Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, in another statement, accused some APC thugs of attacking Fayose’s personal vehicle at about 1p.m. at Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti, believing that the PDP candidate was in the vehicle.

    Aribisogan claimed the thugs ran into the Government House immediately they carried out the attack.

    He stated that the APC-led administration in the state had concluded plan to attack any gathering of PDP supporters in the state.

    The AFCO spokesperson said a meeting was held on Saturday, where it was concluded that henceforth, “no PDP gatherings must be allowed in the state.”

    He said an attack on PDP members in Efon-Alaaye and Otun-Ekiti on Sunday, and yesterday’s attack on Fayose’s vehicle was an aftermath of the APC devilish plot.

  • APC to opposition: Stop copying our candidate

    APC to opposition: Stop copying our candidate

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has advised rival contenders in the June 21 governorship election in the state to stop making campaign promises along Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s record of achievements.

    In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital yesterday by the party’s spokesman, Mr. Segun Dipe, APC accused the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ayo Fayose and the Labour Party (LP), Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, of “systematically stealing ideas from Governor Fayemi’s achievements on the Eight Point Agenda”.

    Dipe explained that the current administration’s achievements “have attracted our political rivals and they have started telling people they would do things which Fayemi had already done and through  which Ekiti has become one clear example in responsible and responsive governance”.

    Noting that “ideas rule the world”, Dipe said the opposition lacked useful and workable ideas upon which they could anchor independent campaign promises in their preparations towards June 21 election”.

    The APC spokesman maintained that “the oppositions’ weakness became apparent as a result of Fayemi’s wholesome and all-encompassing delivery in Ekiti State”.

    Said he: “We are not blaming them (the opposition parties) for repeating Fayemi’s achievements in form of promises each time they mount the podium to campaign. Why they must repeat Fayemi is just that our own candidate is a performer. They are not wrong to associate with Fayemi’s success by promising along the line of his achievements.”

    Dipe said both Fayose and Bamidele have promised to embark on employment generation and create jobs, rejuvenate agriculture and establish industries, promises around which, according to Dipe, Fayemi had “scored the very highest performance marks”.

    “They (Fayose and Bamidele) have promised to boost agriculture which Fayemi has done through the now popular Youths in Commercial Agricultural Development (YCAD), empowerment of various private interests in the state across segments of agricultural specialties.

    “Given the seeming passion they display regarding how they will run the state if they won the election, it is clear they have no new things to add to what Fayemi has done in the state. If this is academics and not politics, it will be straight plagiarism which carries a prison sentence.

    “We now await them to make promises that they would construct roads to enable us remind them that out of a total of the about 1,700 kilometres of both federal and state roads in Ekiti, Fayemi has completed nearly 1,200 kilometres while new contracts are being awarded on the remaining roads.

  • Fayose has no electoral value, says youth group

    Fayose has no electoral value, says youth group

    A socio-political organisation in Ekiti State, Ekiti Youth Emancipation Movement (EYEM), has described the PDP standard-bearer, Mr. Ayo Fayose, as a character that is not fit to govern the state again owing to his alleged woeful past.

    The group added that everyone in Ekiti knows that it would be suicidal to give Fayose another chance to unleash terror on the state.

    It said the PDP governorship candidate has lost his electoral value since he was disgracefully chased away from Ekiti State in October, 2006, adding that the decision of the PDP hierarchy to give him its ticket was not based on his electoral, but as a result of his anti-democratic and violence credentials, which the party believes would greatly fester its rigging plot.

    In a statement by its president, Mr. Taiwo Olatunji, and secretary, Mr. Kunle Adewumi, the group said Fayose himself is aware of his lack of electoral value, hence his decision to buy a N750 million worth of house out of the N1 billion allegedly given by the presidency.

    According to EYEM, Fayose was initially deceived by few okada men who used to follow him around, not knowing those motorcyclists were using him as comic relief.

    He was, however, shocked when Ekiti people shunned his campaign rallies in most communities he visited in the state.

     

  • NGO denies Fayose’s bribe allegation

    NGO denies Fayose’s bribe allegation

    A Civil society organisation, Democracy Vanguard (DV) has said there is no truth in the allegation leveled against it by Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation .

    In statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos by its National Coordinator, Adeola Soetan, Democracy Vanguard denied recruiting volunteers to bribe voters ahead of next month’s elections in Ekiti.

    The group said statements credited to Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan, the Director of Information of the Ayo Fayose Campaign Group that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is using  it to train 200 volunteers  to bribe voters during the election is false. It described it as cheap blackmail.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Democracy Vanguard, as a non-partisan, non political organization, has no organic or political relationship with the All Peoples Congress (APC), or any other political parties and candidates in Nigeria,” it said.

    The group said it was founded to promote and mobilise mass participation in the democratic process, saying it’s main campaign towards the  gubernatorial elections in Osun and  Ekiti states have been to mobilise mass participation in the election.

     

  • Are-Ekiti Pdp leaders assure Fayose of support

    Are-Ekiti Pdp leaders assure Fayose of support

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Are-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have reiterated their commitment to ensuring victory for the party’s governorship candidate in the June 21 election, Mr Ayo Fayose.

    The leaders described the last Thursday’s attack on PDP supporters in the town as brutish. He urged security agents to bring perpetrators of the attack to book.

    Rising from their meeting in Are-Ekiti, the party leaders in a communique signed by the Ward Chairman, Chief H. O. Owonifari and Secretary, Prince Adedayo Olajutemu, said the PDP would get maximum votes from the town.

    The Communique reads; “In 2003, the Kabiyesi Alare of Are-Ekiti went all out campaigning for Niyi Adebayo against Fayose. At the end of the day, Fayose got 1,200 votes from Are-Ekiti as against Niyi Adebayo’s 300 votes.

    “We are happy that the monarch again, openly joined Governor Kayode Fayemi’s campaign. We see this as a good omen because we foresee a repeat of 2003.

    “We therefore wish to appeal to our supporters to remain calm, in the face of sponsored attacks, bearing in mind that 80 per cent of the votes of Are-Ekiti belong to the PDP.”

  • Fayose’s right-hand man dumps PDP for APC

    Fayose’s right-hand man dumps PDP for APC

    … Fayemi warns against violence

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State and former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, has dumped his former boss, Mr. Ayo Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Olatunbosun, who stood in for the ex-governor as acting governor whenever the latter traveled abroad while in power, said his decision was borne out of the fact that the APC held a bright future for the State.

    The former lawmaker further added that his defection from the PDP was to acknowledgment the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s developmental strides in the State.

    The new APC convert who also served as Commissioner for Information in ex-Governor Segun Oni-led administration, announced his defection from the PDP during Fayemi’s campaign tour of Igbemo, Are, Iworoko and Afao, Fayose’s country home, last Friday.

    He added that he had considered the exodus of well-meaning people across the country from other parties to the APC and decided it was high time he became part of the progressive train.

    Olatunbosun disclosed that the mass defection of some of the PDP members in the state was sequel to a decision taken at Ifaki Ekiti, the country home of ex-Governor Oni who is also reportedly making plans to join the APC.

    He stressed that Fayose had nothing good to offer the people of the State other than his “political thuggery” noting that the ex-governor who claimed to be a friend of teachers left the State with a debt of over N3 billion emolument owed teachers.

    The new APC chieftain urged teachers in the state to review their benefits and compare what they got under Fayose to the many allowances they now get under the Fayemi-led government.

    He declared, “We have held meetings at Ifaki and decided it is important for me to go where there is light and forsake darkness and the abode of thuggery. We are tired of a violent man. We are tired of a man who does not have respect for the people.”

    At Afao, Fayose’s country home, the palace of the Alafao was completely shut and the monarch was unable to attend to Governor Fayemi’s campaign train.

    Fayemi, however, held a peaceful campaign in the town and warned politicians against denying people of their right to association.

    The governor stated that he didn’t have any enemy in the town, saying that everyone has a right to contest an election but should allow the people make a choice out of their own volition.

    He said, “We have done our duty to Afao. Our government does not hate anyone. As long as you are in Ekiti, our party is for you and will do everything to better your lot. We don’t have enemy in this town. Everyone has a right to contest.

    Anyone can dream and even see visions but we must always do everything in decency and not hatred and brigandage. We must allow the people vote for the people of their choice,” Fayemi said.

    Meanwhile, a statement from the spokesperson of Mr. Fayose, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, debunked stories making the rounds that the PDP candidate allegedly put pressure on his town’s monarch not to receive Fayemi.

    He said, “Ayo Fayose did not have discussion with or send anybody to the Alafao that the monarch should not receive Fayemi. Fayose does not believe any longer in coercing or disrespecting the royal institution because he is a democrat and new Fayose.

    “The Alafao is a royal father to all and free to receive all candidates whether from APC, PDP, Labour and Accord unlike Isan Ekiti where Fayemi banned the Onisan from allowing any political party except APC to campaign in Isan.

    “Our campaign is issue-based; we are now more mature, responsible and responsive. We will not engage in violent or character assassination,” Adelusi said.

     

  • Fayose: probe APC’s claim on my office

    Fayose: probe APC’s claim on my office

    The Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO) has urged security agencies in Ekiti State to investigate the claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose, planned to burn his campaign office.

    The Director-General of AFCO, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, in a statement yesterday, said: “APC members are noted for accusing other people of planning to do what they are plotting to do.

    “For Governor Kayode Fayemi and his APC people to have made such an allegation, it means that they have facts and they must be made to come and substantiate it.

    “The police and other security agencies in the state must, therefore, investigate the allegation because it is obvious that the allegation is just a diversionary tactic.”