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Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • Ekiti guber race: Issues that’ll influence voting

    As the participating political parties put final touches to their plans for the July 14 Governorship Election in Ekiti State, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on the vital issues and factors that are likely to play leading roles in the outcome of the election

    THE July 14 Governorship Election in Ekiti State, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 40 candidates, promises to be very intriguing.

    The large number of participants notwithstanding, sources close to ongoing grassroots campaigns confirmed to The Nation during the week that the election will mostly be a straight fight between the candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kayode Fayemi and Kolapo Olusola respectively. While Fayemi, the immediate Minister of Solid Minerals, is a former governor in the state, Olusola, who is backed by the sitting governor, Ayo Fayose, also joined the race as the Deputy Governor of the state. So, the two candidates are coming to the election very strong and highly connected.

    But the suggestion that the two will likely be the frontrunners, according to our respondents, is not only because of the strength of the two parties they are flying their flags or the even the offices they have held in the state but also because of other crucial factors poised to influence voting patterns at the election, including age-old rivalries of their sponsors who see this year’s election as a means of determining the real leaders of the state. There are also deeper calculations that have both regional and national implications.

    For example, the political control of Ekiti, as the only PDP-controlled state in the Southwest zone, is very strategic for both PDP and the APC ahead 2019 General Elections. So, the two big parties are ready to do everything to defeat the other during this year’s governorship election. Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, for example, is evidently aware of the importance of retaining control of the state, both for his continued relevance in the PDP and his survival in the state as a politician. For Fayemi of APC, observers see his return to contest for Ekiti State’s governorship seat as a special assignment from APC, which is bent on recovering the former ACN state. Fayemi cannot afford to fail in this assignment, according some sources, who revealed that Ekiti has become very crucial in APC’s calculations ahead of 2019 Presidential Election.

    Aside the battle of the political parties, the coming election can also be described, more strictly, as the battle of old rivals, former governor Fayemi and the outgoing governor, Ayo Fayose. Keen observers of Ekiti politics said the two political leaders have personal scores to settle once and for all. It would be recalled that Fayose, who served his first tenure as governor before losing to some hot intrigues, returned to snatch the governorship seat from Kayode, who was then only a first term governor. While it is considered that Fayemi is back to prove a point, Fayose, according to analysts, is determined to establish his influence as the political leader of the time. While it is argued that Fayose can make good his plans, using the powers of incumbency, still at his disposal, to install his deputy, others said Fayemi, who is in the race on the platform of APC, the party in power at the centre, will certainly not be an easy challenge for Fayose.

    Outstanding disagreements over choice of candidate

    Given that the two leading political parties and their candidates are undoubtedly influential, roundly established in the state and angry enough to fight like wounded Lions, it has become clear that other issues and factors would finally determine how the election would be won and lost.

    One of the factors is the level of unity within the leading parties themselves. In the ruling PDP, it seems the way the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, emerged as the party’s governorship candidate remains an issue among party members and other very important stakeholders. It would be recalled that in the days before the ‘primary election,’ Governor Ayo Fayose made no pretenses to other party members interested in flying the party’s flag that his choice for a successor was Olusola.

    As at then, other aspirants, like the Deputy Minority whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi; former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Chief Adebisi Omoyeni; former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseeni Ajayi; and former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Chief Dare Bejide, expressed dislike for a process they described as undemocratic. But their cries notwithstanding, Olusola emerged the party’s candidate.

    We gathered that unless Fayose truly reaches out to the aggrieved aspirants who lost out and their supporters, this may be an issue during the governorship election. A source close to the party in Ado Ekiti explained during the week that although the Gboyega Oguntuase-led PDP State Working Committee showed open support to Fayose’s choice, they were concerned that the open endorsement of the Deputy Governor may be taken as dictatorship on the part of the governor and the party. “This explains why, until the end, the party in the state continued to work towards conducting a proper primary election,” he said.

    Encouraged by the impression that the party could be forced to allow a level playing ground, some members had gone further to appeal to the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, to conduct free, fair and credible primaries. They argued then that it was only such a development that will help the party to fight the governorship election as a united family.

    But reports showed that even if the party’s assurances then convinced majority of the members that there would be real contest during the primary election, many of the aspirants were not convinced. At a point, they called for the dissolution of Oguntuase – led State Working Committee.

    In a joint communiqué, read out by one of them, Adeyeye, after one of their meetings, they had said: “We reject without reservation the adoption of Prof. Olusola as the sole candidate of the PDP for the July 14 governorship election.

    “Governor Fayose has pitched his tent with Prof. Olusola and he should be disqualified from playing any role. The relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution should be followed strictly, and arbitrary and illegal use of state apparatus like radio and television stations to subvert the truth must stop.”

    As would be expected, Fayose was not intimidated by such protests. He said through his aides that he has the right, as a citizen, to support any aspirant. “What the governor did was in the exercise of his own right as a member of the party and as a Nigerian. He has exercised his fundamental rights, which he is entitled to. I want to assure other aspirants that his support for Prof. Kolapo Olusola has not precluded them from the primary or foreclosed the conduct of the primary. The primary will still hold and it is the delegates that will pick any of the aspirants as the candidate,” the aide said.

    The case of APC is also interesting. Before the former Minister of Solid Mineral Development and former Governor, Kayode Fayemi, emerged APC’s candidate, there was fear of how the party will contain the burden of having many heavyweights interested in the party’s ticket.

    At a point, prominent aspirants in the party associated with the ambition to fly the party’s flag included former governor, Chief Segun Oni, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; former Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Ayo Arise; Senator Gbenga Aluko; former member of the House of Representatives and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, Opeyemi Bamidele and two other former members of the House of Representatives, Bimbo Daramola and Bamidele Faparusi, among others.

    While it seemed that everyone accepted that Kayode has what it takes to confront Fayose-backed candidate, party members, alleged that Fayemi’s candidacy may have a minus if PDP succeeds in making zoning an issue.

    Zoning and the scramble for large votes

    So, it became obvious right from time that zoning may be an issue in the campaigns. Today, with the emergence of APC’s Fayose from Ekiti North Senatorial District and PDP’s Olusola from Ekiti South, observers are poised to see how far zoning would go in determining the result of the governorship election. But because the two leading candidates have claims to be favoured by the zoning factor, it it would be interesting to see who, between Fayemi and Olusola, will garner more votes on the basis of zoning consideration.

    It would be recalled that even before the primaries, some stakeholders made it an issue notwithstanding the fact that zoning has hardly played decisive role in Ekiti State politics before now. Before the primaries, leading aspirants in APC were openly divided on the importance of zoning in the choice of the party’s candidate. In the ruling PDP, the issue assumed even greater importance as the outgoing governor, Fayose, insisted on the choice of his deputy, Prof. Olusola, from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti North, as his successor.

    Aspirants, who openly demanded that the party should consider zoning while making its choice, argued that Fayose’s PDP may hope to make political profit by choosing a candidate from the North. Some APC stakeholders however dismissed this sentiment, arguing that Ekiti needs quality governor more than sheer zoning. Senator Femi Ojodu, for example, was one of the aspirants that dismissed zoning in the state. Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, another aspirant then, however thought otherwise: He openly warned that his party “would regret if it refuses to hearken to the agitations for the zoning of the governorship ticket to the south senatorial district.”

    Describing opponents of zoning as “selfish politicians, who have no respect for the populace,” the aspirant said zoning to the South will satisfy people’s crave for “fairness, justice and fair-play among the three senatorial districts.”

    He added: “The entire six local governments in the south have taken a position on this and that was why Governor Ayodele Fayose, who wanted to pick an Ado Ekiti person initially, quickly opted for his Deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola, who is from Ikere in the south, so APC must do same.

    “Governor Fayose was not a fool to have done that. He has done his opinion poll very well. So, I beg the APC state and National Working Committees that if they really love APC, they must support south agenda.”

    Now that Fayemi is flying APC’s flag, the question the party supporters are asking is how to counter the zoning debate. It is observed that the party’s strategists are not taking chances as other issues are also being considered to ensure victory. One of such tactical moves is Fayemi’s decision to pick Alhaja Habibat Adubiaro as his running mate. Adubiaro, a former Commissioner for Women Affairs, who is the President of the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN), was born in Ado-Ekiti.

    Considering that PDP’s Olusola picked the immediate past Chairman of Ado Local Government, Kazeem Deji Ogunsakin, as his running mate, it seems both the APC and the PDP are ready to fight for votes from Ado Ekiti, which is considered as the most populated council with the largest votes in the state.

    Between Fayose and Fayemi

    The practical issues aside, it may be right to narrow the Ekiti governorship race to a battle between Fayose and Fayemi. Explaining how the rivalry between the two will determine the voting pattern, Dr. Tunde Babafemi, a political analyst told The Nation, “In a way, this battle is really a battle between the outgoing governor Fayose and the former governor, Fayemi. For them, the battle goes beyond mere ego; it is actually a battle for political survival. If Fayose losses this battle, it would be a pity, to say the least and if Fayemi losses, his case, as a political leader in Ekiti, will be closed. That explains the hysteria and the grand intrigues. For the electorates, what will count, I think, is how they perceive the performance index of the two men, who have had the opportunity to govern the state. For now, only few people are looking at Olusola as an individual. Most voters still equate PDP with Fayose and APC with Fayemi. So, the result will reflect how the people view these two politicians,” he said.

  • APC Convention is a quit notice signal to PDP, Fayose – Presidency

    The Presidency says the All Progressive Congress (APC) convention holding at the Eagle Square, Abuja, would be a quit notice signal to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, gave the assurance to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing convention arena.

    Enang, who said he expected a peaceful poll at the convention, said the successful completion of the occasion would also indicate a quit notice to the Ekiti State’s incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose.

    NAN reports that the governorship election in the state, which is scheduled to hold on July 14, has the immediate-past Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, as the APC gubernatorial candidate.

    ”It is a signal to PDP and Ayo Peter Fayose that we have served him quit notice and that he will quit.

    ”With the strength of APC in the Federal Government at the federal level and the strength of APC in Ekiti State, we will win Ekiti and we will sack PDP from the seat,” Enang said.

    He said he expected a fruitful and rancour-free convention.

    He urged the winners and losers in the ongoing convention to display a spirit of sportsmanship.

    ”My words for the winners today, be magnanimous in victory, and for the losers, be also accommodating. Let all those who lose also play into the party, let those who win accommodate those who may not win today,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the convention would go well and come out successful.

    ”You can see that everybody is happy to be here. We are lucky that we have Muhammadu Buhari as our president; everybody loves him.

    ”No matter the differences or disagreement in the generality of membership, the president’s position as a beloved leader and mentor is sacrosanct. And I think that will contribute largely to the final successful outcome of this convention,” he said.

  • Fayemi faults Fayose’s claim on Paris Club refund denial

    The Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has debunked claims by Governor Ayodele Fayose that the Federal Government is deliberately delaying disbursement of Paris Club cash to the states of the federation to hurt Ekiti State’s bid to pay workers salary.

    Fayose had said that the alleged move by the Federal Government was to incapacitate Ekiti State to pay workers salary to enable the All Progressives Congress (APC) use non-payment of salary as a campaign tool against PDP candidate, Prof Olusola Eleka, in the July 14 governorship election.

    A statement by Fayose’s media aide also alleged that Fayemi’s administration plunged the state into debt, including leaving two months’ salaries unpaid and that N35.34b was being deducted every month from Ekiti allocations to service the debt, arguing that if the governor had N35.34bn, he would not owe workers.

    But a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Wole Olujobi, faulted the claims, arguing that Fayose was using cheap blackmail to get undeserved public sympathy and support ahead of the July 14 poll and explained that Ekiti total debts while Fayemi was leaving office, according to DMO, was N18b.

    Read Also: Fayose will be caged on election day – Fayemi

    He added that contrary to claim that Fayemi owed two months’ salary, the administration owed just one month salary mainly because Fayose threatened banks not to grant Fayemi a standing facility to pay salary ahead of Abuja allocation.

    He said: “This is a cheap blackmail and characteristic propaganda by Fayose who has taken Ekiti people for fools as he often derides them among his friends; for how can one claim that N35.34b is being spent to service the debt of N18b?

    “How can the Federal Government cripple all the states because of the election in Ekiti State as if President Muhammadu Buhari is like President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration that paid Ecological Fund cash to PDP’s states but refused to pay APC states?

    “How did Fayose spend the Paris Club refunds he earlier collected to pay salary but refused to pay workers?

    “Fayose collected a bailout of about N20b in two tranches for workers salary but  diverted all to self-serving projects having earlier taken N2b CBN small-scale business credit scheme but never release one kobo to any small-scale business owner.

    “Fayose collected N2b Ecological Fund, but for close to a year, he consistently lied that he ever collected the money, only to own up when APC approached Ecological Fund office with the Freedom of Information (FOI) instrument to get the fact, and the very week Fayose shamelessly confessed taking the money, he announced Ecological project contract totalling exactly N2b, even though up till now, there is no sign of ecological project across the state as could be seen in ecological disasters that ravaged the state.

    “Again, the governor was secretly collecting N1.3b Budget Support Facility for 14 months to pay salary but he never told workers he was collecting this money on their behalf for salary until he exposed himself when he made similar allegation like the case here that President Muhammadu deliberately withheld Ekiti State allocation.

    “After a long period of blackmail, the Federal Government responded, explaining that it withheld Ekiti cash because Fayose was illegally diverting it to other purposes, and this expose created opportunity for Ekiti workers, for the first time, to know that Fayose was collecting such facility on their behalf to pay salary but consistently diverting it illegally.”

    Olujobi also faulted Fayose’s claim that Fayemi’s administration debts service obligation was hurting the state’s capacity to pay workers.

    He explained: “DMO put Ekiti total official debts at N18b by the time Fayose started blackmailing Fayemi for plunging the state to N86b debts, and by the time Fayose later became more notorious for his lies on Ekiti debts, DMO published the debts by all the states of the federation, revealing that Fayose had borrowed N56b between 2014 and 2018.

    “Records have also shown that Fayose is presently paying N1.7b monthly in monthly salary, but still fraudulently claims that the figure remains the same as N2.6b that Fayemi was paying after Fayose removed about 40,000 names from the wage bill he inherited from Fayemi.”

    Urging Fayose to disclose the IGR profile allegedly kept in secret accounts; JKF Campaign spokesman said Ekiti people and workers in particular had become wiser after discovering that their governor had been “unconscionably running Ekiti State like a buka where accountability is zero”.

    Stressing that Ekiti people can no longer be fooled by deceits; he urged workers to insist on their salaries and should not to be deceived by an administration that sees Ekiti State as a jackpot for private comfort.

    He also urged Fayose to stop lying that he owed workers four months’ salary, asking the governor to pay six months he owed state workers, seven months for workers in tertiary institutions, local government eight months, teaching hospital seven while pensioners were owed 11 months.

  • Osinbajo tasks Ekiti monarchs on peaceful co-existence

    Canvasses support for Fayemi’s victory

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on traditional rulers in Ekiti State to ensure unity among people of various ethnic groups residing in their domains.

    Osinbajo said working for unity in their various localities will assist the Federal Government to maintain peace in Ekiti State and other parts of the country.

    The Vice President made the call Wednesday evening at the palace of Ewi in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital where he hosted by Ekiti Obas as part of his visit to the state to canvass support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Osinbajo was accompanied on the visit by Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, Dr. Fayemi, his running mate, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, senior party leaders and campaign officials.

    The Vice President made a return to Ekiti barely twenty four hours after departing for Abuja and headed straight to the palace of the Ewi, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe.

    Read Also: 563, 051 PVCs collected in Ekiti, says INEC

    He was also accompanied to the palace by heads of security agencies in Ekiti State

    Osinbajo apologized for his inability to pay homage to the monarchs on Tuesday which he attributed to an emergency assignment in Abuja.

    He canvassed the traditional rulers’ backing for the candidacy of Fayemi urging them to also collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure a peaceful conduct of the poll on July 14.

    The nation’s number two man noted that since traditional rulers remain the custodians of culture and tradition, their roles are fundamental to uniting Nigerians.

    He promised the monarchs that the Federal Government would continue to accord respect to the traditional institution in the country.

    Osinbajo urged the traditional rulers to educate their subjects on various policies of the Federal Government put in place to better the lots of Nigerians.

    According to him, the various social intervention schemes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration were came on stream to improve standard of living of Nigerians.

    Responding, the Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, said monarchs would always support the government in executing policies that will make life easier for the masses.

    Oba Ademolaju lauded the Buhari administration for various achievements recorded in office.

  • INEC decries low participation of women in politics

    …Women occupy 5.8percent of political offices

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has decried low participation of women in political processes.

    The Commission said despite the fact that women constitute 48 percent of the population, only 5.8 percent  of them hold political offices.

    The Commission also revealed that since the commencement of CVR in 2017, only 1,362,293 women have registered compared to men who have 1,560,823 registration.

    This was disclosed in Abuja yesterday at the North Central zonal workshop on enhancing women’s participation in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and Collection of  Permanent Voters Cards  (PVC).

    Giving details of women participation, INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine said: “Despite the fact that women constitute 48 percent of Nigeria voting population, they occupy only 5.8percent of the political offices in the country.

    “In 2015, eight female senators and 20 House of Representatives members were elected and six female Deputy governors who had joint ticket with male gubernatorial candidates were elected.

    “Similarly, only one female contested for the office of President while four presidential candidates had females as their vice.”

    Read Also: 563, 051 PVCs collected in Ekiti, says INEC

    She further said: “Contenders for the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election shows that ten of the 35 political parties fielding candidates have females as Deputy governorship candidates while none of the parties put a female forward as governorship candidates.

    “Globally too, statistics for gender parity indicate that 2015,  out of 188 countries,  Nigeria was 152 in the Human Development Index in Gender inequality and 118 out of 192 countries in 2017.

    “Going by this statistics therefore, a lot still needs to be done by all stakeholders to ensure that the situation improves during the 2019 general elections.”

    On factors responsible for the low participation, Prof Okoosi-Simbine said: “Be it politics, education and other sector; women generally lag. Some of them are affected by domestic duties,  some are affected by poverty, while some are concerned about taking care of their children, health issues and others.”

    Also speaking, the Project Director of European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), David Le Notre said Civil Society Organisations need to do more to improve the level of participation.

    Le Notre who was represented by Cathy Latiwa said: “Women constitute about half of the population and an important segment that must be carried along in every facet of development.

    “Women participation enriches democracy and makes it more responsive to the aspirations of the people. It is however unfortunate that women participation in the political process has been limited.

    “Fewer women than men have been voted into political offices despite the fact that majority of voters are women.

    “Nigerian women have the lowest representation of 5.9 percent in the National Assembly when compared to most other African Countries like Uganda with 34.6percent, South Africa 43.2 percent, Ethiopia 27.7percent and Cameroon 20.1 percent.”

    Le Notre while encouraging women to be more active said the ongoing CVR provides women with the opportunity to participate actively in the political process.

    Speaking on the importance of getting the PVC, the Commission’s Deputy Director in charge of Gender, Mrs. Blessing Obidegwu said report available to Commission shows that since the commencement of the CVR in April 2017, men have registered more than women.

    She said: “The last three quarters of 2017 indicates that women are trailing behind their male counterparts with only marginal improvement.

    “Gender distribution for 2017  CVR was 57 percent for men and 43 for women in the first quarter of 2018, women improved marginally by 4.6percent to attain a ratio of 46.6percent against men’s 53.4percent.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayemi’s convoy did not knock down anybody – Police

    The Ekiti State Police Command has clarified that the convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, did not knock down any pedestrian on Tuesday.

    The command described the news being spread on the social media platform by Governor Ayo Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, as a “baseless rumour and a misleading information.”

    Olayinka had alleged on his WhatsApp and Facebook portals that a Police Inspector, Kayode Gabriel, was killed by one of the vehicles in Fayemi’s convoy.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said the command strongly dissociates itself from the act of misinformation capable of causing panic and creating mischief in the minds of the general public.

    Read Also: Fayemi is the reason Ekiti is under financial burden – PDP

    Ikechukwu said: “There was a fatal motor pedestrian accident at about 0930hrs in front of Captain Cook eatery by the flyover of Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti.

    “The accident involved a Sienna ash colour with registration number LAGOS SZ 874 EKY driven by one Abayomi Ismaila Damilare knocked down two pedestrians namely Inspector Gabriel Kayode and Albert  Afolayan who were about to cross the road.

    “They were confirmed dead by a medical doctor while receiving treatment at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.

    “The driver has been arrested and his vehicle impounded for further investigation.

    “Furthermore, the motorcade of Dr. Kayode Fayemi and that of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, arrived Ado-Ekiti to their rally center at about 1400hrs.

    “The command advises the general public to always cross check information/facts before going to disseminate it to any form of social media thereby misleading the good people of Ekiti and indeed Nigerians.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Osinbajo, Tinubu, twelve governors urge residents to vote Fayemi

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged the people of Ekiti State to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in the July 14 governorship election.

    Osinbajo said Ekiti people stand to benefit a lot from the APC both at the federal and state levels if they elect Fayemi as their governor in the eagerly awaited poll.

    He described Fayemi as a tested politician and administrator who has acquired enough experience to manage the resources of the state and provide quality leadership.

    The nation’s number two man spoke on Tuesday at the governorship flag off rally held at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to formally herald campaigns ahead of the July 14 poll.

    Osinbajo was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; APC National Chairman, John Odigie Oyegun; National Secretary, Mala Mai Buni and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

    The APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urged Ekiti people to elect Fayemi as their governor at the poll. He said Ekiti should not remain the lone ranger in the Southwest but should join the progressives fold.

    The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, officially presented the party’s governorship flag to Fayemi, who was joined by his running mate, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi at the rally witnessed by a mammoth crowd.

    Oyegun also formally received the former Minister of State for Works and former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye into the APC.

    Adeyeye was joined by the Ekiti State House of Assembly member representing Ise/Orun Constituency, Mr. Adeniran Alagbada, former Special Adviser on Transportation, Chief Bosun Osaloni and other former PDP faithful into the APC.

    Governors who appeared at the rally include Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulAzeez Yari (Zamfara), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).

    Read Also: Ekiti PDP lawmaker joins APC

    Serving ministers who stormed Ekiti to show solidarity with Fayemi are Mansur Dan Ali (Defence), Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Mines and Steel Development) and Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture).

    Also at the rally are former APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ekiti State Governors, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo and Chief Segun Oni; former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Osinbajo said: “God has chosen this lucky man (Fayemi) to bring good governance and purposeful leadership to the people of Ekiti State.

    “On July 14, don’t look elsewhere but look forward to voting APC. APC is a party that means well for the people, APC is a party of progressive people.

    “We have come here to give you a delicious soup in Ekiti; JKF (Fayemi) is that lucky man chosen to bring positive change to Ekiti.

    “On July 14, vote JKF and Ekiti will witness progress, development and good governance.

    “God has brought a blessed man, who is Dr Kayode  Fayemi. He will do Ekiti a lot of good if elected governor. He will bring development to your doorsteps.

    “On July 14, don’t look back or side way, just look forward to a good future ahead of you by voting for Fayemi. APC is a party of progress.

    “Let us vote for APC in this election. APC will help Ekiti to develop, because the PDP has outlived its usefulness.”

    Tinubu said change is needed by Ekiti people noting that the Land of Honour should not be excluded from the broom revolution sweeping across Nigeria.

    He described Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as the Red Card to be shown to the PDP at the governorship election.

    Tinubu said: “This is the only place where change is necessary now, this is the broom revolution. Raising the broom is not enough, what is your value of coming here if you don’t have PVCs?

    “If you really want progress, what is the essence of you staying here from morning till now without having PVCs.  Ekiti won’t go back to sadness and poverty.

    “The PVCs represent your red card on the day of election. I want you to give PDP a red card on the day of election.

    “We have been giving PDP yellow cards all this while but on the election day, we are giving them the red card.

    “We took Fayemi to the federal level, he was Minister where Osinbajo is Vice President but Ekiti is now a lone ranger.

    “This is your son, we have taught him, he is a friend of the President. We are going to do the election together

    “He now understands the game. I want you to vote him 100 percent on July 14.”

    Oshiomhole said: “We thank God that we have swept them away. I was on my way here from Edo in 2014 when Fayemi was seeking reelection when the PDP stopped me at Benin Airport, even as a sitting governor. PDP was known for abuse of power and their days were gone.

    “Ekiti is the most educated state in Nigeria and I knew you voted for Fayemi in 2014, because Ekiti has highest pupil enrollment in schools then and I know that a state that is highly educated like Ekiti could not have voted for a roadside banana eater.

    “On July 14, it is one man, one vote, one woman, one vote. Your votes will count this time. Nobody will tinker with it”, he said.

    The Chairman of the National Campaign Council and Kebbi State Governor Bagudu, said Nigeria has been in safe hands since 2015 when President Buhari and Osinbajo took over, urging Ekiti to join the moving train in this coming election.

    “If Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Plateau and Kebbi could embrace APC, Ekiti must do same, because we represent progress.”

    Governors Amosun, Aregbesola, Bello, Ajimobi, Ahmed, Akeredolu and Bagudu, who also spoke urged the electorate to vote Fayemi to bring unprecedented progress to the state.

    Fayemi said he was humbled by the gesture of solidarity from the party’s leaders urging Ekiti voters to sweep away a “useless government.”

    Fayemi while addressing supporters promised that all the programmes initiated by his administration but abrogated by the present government will be restored in the interest of the populace.

    He said: “They (PDP) said they want continuity, is it continuity of lack, continuity of poverty, continuity of 419, continuity of bad governance, continuity of suffering, continuity of non-payment of salaries, continuity of our pupils paying taxes in schools?

    “The Youth in Agriculture, Youth Volunteer Scheme, the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency, Social Security Scheme of the Aged, both in Commercial Agriculture, Local Council Development Ares, Peace Corps and other landmark programmes will come back.

    “Governor Ayo Fayose said he wanted continuity, I know Ekiti won’t subscribe to continuity of poverty, wanton neglect, fraud and pauperization of our people in the name of governance.

    “By God’s grace July 14 is our date with destiny, a day PDP will be totally obliterated, a day that suffering will stop.

    “We will reclaim our land, its day decency, discipline, decorum and good essence of democracy will return to our land.”

    Former Ekiti State Governor Adebayo said the INEC won’t listen to plea by some groups that the federal government should not deploy soldiers and police for the election.

    Adeyeye said PDP is dead in Ekiti as many of its chieftains and members are defecting to APC on daily basis.

    He said: “PDP is dead in Ekiti, it will never rise again, it has been uprooted and we will set it on fire. A lot of PDP members have defected to APC.

    “This is the Deputy Leader of the Assembly joining APC; four years ago, that thief is shouting 16-0 but he neglected those who made it possible.

    “We have visited eight local government areas, PDP members are decamping every day and when the President comes here, all of them will show up because there is nothing like PDP again in Ekiti.”

  • Labour Party: Mimiko betrayed us at our darkest moment

    Says Party has no candidate for Ekiti election

     

    The Labour Party (LP) said on Wednesday that former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko would not be welcomed back, accusing the former governor of turning its back on them at its darkest hour when the party needed him most.

    The party also said that it was not sponsoring any candidate for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State, saying anybody currently parading himself as the Labour Party candidate should be treated as an impostor.

    Addressing a news conference at the NLC secretariat in Abuja, National Chairman of the party, Dr. Mike Omotosho supported by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba alleged that the former governor was trying to use the party to regain political relevance once again, adding that the part will not allow him do that this time.

    He said “It has come to our knowledge the moves by the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to return to the Labour Party. Nigerian workers Wish to put a disclaimer to this ill-fated adventure.

    “The Nigeria Labour Congress is fully aware of plans by Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to destabilize the current gains being made by workers to reclaim and reposition the Labour Party. It is very obvious that the sole purpose of Dr. Mimiko’s re-approach to the Labour Party is to use the party to launder his sagging political image.

    “Nigerians would recall that Dr. Mimiko abandoned the Labour Party for the People’s Democratic Party a few days to Labour Party’s October 2015 National Convention.

    “Such a treachery and betrayal of a party that gave the former Governor succor in the darkest hour of his political career especially as manifest in his two term victory on the ticket of Labour Party is to say the least, cheap and callous. it also revealed paucity of knowledge of the philosophy of the Labour Party as a peoples’ rooted party and dearth of class consciousness on his part.

    “The Labour Party is an offspring of the working class family and was midwifed by the labour movement. it is the political vehicle for Nigerian workers and the Nigerian poor.

    Read Also: Mimiko calls for more investment in education

    “It was founded on the cornerstone of ideological clarity and class consciousness to promote and defend the political cum socio-economic interest of the working people. There is no doubt that political journey persons like the former Governor of Ondo had in the past taken advantage of the leadership challenges in the Labour Party to satisfy their fantasies for political opportunism.

    “Well, all those have changed. The labour movement, in alliance with its civil society partners and other patriotic Nigerians, is poised to fully reclaim the Labour Party and restore it as a model political institution that does not only epitomize the Values of the working class family but also capable of contesting for power with members of a failed political class, with whom the former Governor dines and wines.

    “While the leadership of Congress continues to work to rebuild the Labour Party especially through the instrumentality of our Political Commission, we urge all workers and indeed genuine lovers of popular democracy to ignore the political theatrics of people like the former Governor of Ondo State.

    “He has shown Nigerian workers that he cannot be trusted. The Labour Party is no longer a transit bus to strange political destinations particularly under the subterfuge of people like him.”

    Speaking on the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State, Omotosho said the party has no candidate for the election, saying “the Nigeria Labour Congress wishes to categorically disown and-condemn recent posturing and proclamations by some ‘ politicians in Ekiti State that they are the candidates of the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti State.

    “The Labour Party has no candidate in the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State. lNEC, workers and the Ekiti electorate should not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by the antics of political impostors.”

    While asking aspirants wishing to contest election on the platform of the part6 to deal with the Screening Committee of the party only, he warned that “on no account should anyone engage in any form of financial transaction on issues related with the Labour Party with A. A. Salam and Julius Abure.

    “Right now, the Labour Party is pre-occupied with strategic repositioning aimed at re-energizing our capacity as a people for issuebased politics and ideologically driven political contestations.

    “We urge politicians like the former Governor of Ondo State to stay clear of the new Labour Party because we are aware of their gimmicks to lure the Labour Party in the direction of other political parties with the hope of rehabilitating their dwindling political relevance. As they say “once bitten, twice shy”.

    NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said on the occasion that the Labour Party which was registered by Organised Labour and its civil society allies was not a place where anybody can jump in an Court at will, adding that the time when people come in to use the name of the party to earn political gains was over as the “owners of the party”were ready to reposition it to challenge for office in the next elections.

  • Ekiti Assembly suspends lawmaker for “Sleeping too much at plenary”

    The Ekiti State House of Assembly yet again treated the people of the Fountain of Knowledge to another comical show by suspending a member for “sleeping too much” during legislative sessions.

    The lawmakers slammed an indefinite suspension on the member representing Ikere Constituency II, Mr. Sunday Akinniyi, for allegedly sleeping at plenary for three years.

    They also accused Akinniyi of “breeding terrorism within the institution of the House, violence towards the Mace in a properly constituted plenary session and belligerence attitude and acts of bellicosity against his colleagues.”

    He was also accused of pugnacious behaviours in his constituency against his own people, all amounting to gross misconduct and unbecoming of any honourable member of this House.

    The Assembly further accused Akinniyi of “regularly regular in absenting himself especially when issues relating to his constituency are slated for discussion.”

    A source at the Assembly told The Nation on Wednesday that thesuspension was carried out to pre-empt a plan by Akinniyi and two other lawmakers to announce their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akinniyi, who has fell out with Governor Ayo Fayose was removed as the Chief Whip on May 24 for his alleged disloyalty to Governor Ayo Fayose and other unparliamentary activities.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Olusola will defeat Fayemi, says Campaign DG

    He was axed for his alleged loyalty to a former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who has since defected to the APC.

    Akinniyi was removed alongside the former Deputy Speaker, Mr. Olusegun Adewumi. Every attempt to get Akinniyi’s reaction proved abortive at press time but one of his political associates said he would address a news conference “as soon as possible.”

    House Committee Chairman on Information Dr Samuel Omotoso said the suspension follows series of allegations levied against him by the Leader of Business, Mr. Tunji Akinyele, after due diligence investigation carried out by a panel led by Mr. Ayodele Fajemilehin

    Omotoso claimed that Akinniyi was initially removed as the Chief Whip of the House “when his malfeasance was becoming unbearable, in an attempt to wake him up from slumber and alive to his responsibilities to his people.”

    Omotoso said: “Rather than achieve this, the few occasions he presented himself for official duties in the House, Hon Akinniyi is in the habits of sleeping from the beginning of any program to the end to the extent that he was nicknamed ‘the sleeping Honourable.’

    “Several attempts by the Hon Speaker advising him to pay attention to his people and his health has been rebuffed with insults.

    “It is in reference to all these that this House viewed the failures of Hon Akinniyi as incompatible with the spirit of good governance and quality representation of the present House of Assembly and he is hereby suspended indefinitely.”

    The House also barred Hon Akinniyi Sunday from the vicinity of the Asembly and mandated the Clerk to lodge a formal complaint of threat to lives of Honourable Members against him to the security agencies.

    The Information Committee chair added that the Assembly will be alive to the noble doctrine of active service as elected representatives of our various constituencies.

    Omotoso also advised Akinniyi to pay more attention to his health and use the period of his suspension “to come out of his embarrassing Sleep Syndrome by sleeping at home rather than chasing shadows.”

  • Peace returns as Ekiti community accepts Regent

    Peace has returned to Agbado-Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State as the residents have accepted the leadership of the Regent, Princess Bolaji Oke Okunbobade.

    The princess was appointed Regent shortly after her father, the late Owa Ooro of Agbado-Ekiti, Oba Dare Okunbobade III joined his ancestors few months ago.

    But angry interest groups in the community staged a violent protest and chased the Regent out of the palace alleging that her enthronement and ascension did not follow due process.

    Following intervention by representatives of the state government, local government and Council of Obas, the Regent has been welcomed back to the palace.

    Princess Okunbobade on Tuesday supervised the relocation of the community’s market to Ijarun Quarters, one of the traditional rights performed after the demise of a reigning Oba.

    Read Also: Ekiti: PPC petitions INEC

    The indegenes also joined the Regent for special service at Emmanuel Anglican Church and St. Paul’s Catholic Church in the community as a mark of her acceptance and return of peace.

    Princess Okunbobade thanked the people of the town for allowing peace to reign after the crisis that erupted consequent upon the demise of his father.

    She called on the state government to give the community amenities like good road, potable water and relief materials to owners of over 100 houses recently destroyed by rainstorm.

    The traditional Prime Minister, Chief Temitope Ajayi, said there is no crisis again in Agbado with the Regent’s occupation of the palace which the community has accepted.

    Vicar in charge of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Thomas Adebisi, called on Agbado indigenes to live together in love, peace and harmony for their hometown to witness development.