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Tag: Ekiti

  • Nobody can rig APC primary in Ekiti, says ex-Speaker

    Former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Olufemi Bamisile, has assured that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary will not be rigged in favour of any aspirant. Bamisile, an APC governorship aspirant, promised to offer the people of the state good governance and better standard of living if he wins the party’s ticket and elected governor in the July 14 election.

    He claimed to have about 1,500 of delegates expected to vote at the primary election on his side. The former Speaker said he is not afraid of other party bigwigs interested in the APC ticket. He promised to use his Octopus Agenda blueprint to bring about positive change to Ekiti State which he said has been bastardised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government.

    The ex-Speaker said nobody can buy delegates at the primary, noting that the shadow election represents an opportunity for the APC to regain the governorship seat lost in the 2014 election. “You and I will get to the promised land together; nobody can buy delegates at the primary because they are determined to elect the right candidate this time around.

    “We are going to run the government together because it is somebody that works hard that reaps the fruit of his labour. I want to assure my supporters that nobody can rig the APC primary. Everybody will be taken care of in our administration, including the delegates and voters. We will use agriculture to turn around our economy and give financial empowerment to women and youths.”

  • Ekiti, Osun polls: Yoruba youths to engage governors on accounts March 27

    Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba, the Grand Council of Yoruba Youths, will hold the sixth edition of Yoruba youth leadership summit, titled: Gbangbadekun on March 27.

    The event, which will hold at the Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja, the Lagos State will begin at 10 a.m.

    A statement by the National President of Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba, Awa Bamiji, said Gbangbadekun is designed to engage the two outgoing governors of Osun and Ekiti states – Rauf Aregbesola and Ayodele Fayose – on their accounts of stewardship ahead of the governorship polls in their states later this year.

    The topic: Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba: Abo Mi Ree! (Grand Council of Yoruba Youths: My Scorecard), will be delivered by both governors.

    The chief host is Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, while Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu is the chairman of occasion.

    Children of the past Yoruba leaders, including Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Mr Tokunbo Ajasin, Bayo Abraham-Adesanya and Muyiwa Ige, are guests of honour.

    The Royal Fathers of the Day are: the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

    Afenifere Leader, Chief Reuben Fashoranti and and his deputy, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, will be the special guests of honour.

    The Father of the Day is the Yoruba Council of Elders’ President General, Pa Idowu Sofola while Prof Sophie Oluwole will be the Mother of the Day.

    Odu’a National Awards, in form of carved Ori Olokun, will be bestowed on three eminent Yoruba personalities – Chief Reuben Fashoranti, as Agba Akin Ti Ile Odu’a; Pa Idowu Sofola, as Baba Eto Ti Ile Odu’a and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba, Aare Gani Adams, as Ajagungbade Ti Ile Odu’a.

    The statement added: “We are using this summit to bring together members of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum, Yoruba self-determination groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), National Youth Council and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the Southwest and participate in a very sensitive and intellectual issue that concerns everybody in the region. This can be best described as Yoruba Unity Summit in honour of this two outgoing governors.”

  • Ekiti, Osun polls: Yoruba youths to engage governors on accounts March 27

    Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba, the Grand Council of Yoruba Youths, will hold the sixth edition of Yoruba youth leadership summit, titled: Gbangbadekun on March 27.

    The event, which will hold at the Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja, the Lagos State will begin at 10 a.m.

    A statement by the National President of Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba, Awa Bamiji, said Gbangbadekun is designed to engage the two outgoing governors of Osun and Ekiti states – Rauf Aregbesola and Ayodele Fayose – on their accounts of stewardship ahead of the governorship polls in their states later this year.

    The topic: Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba: Abo Mi Ree! (Grand Council of Yoruba Youths: My Scorecard), will be delivered by both governors.

    The chief host is Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, while Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu is the chairman of occasion.

    Children of the past Yoruba leaders, including Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Mr Tokunbo Ajasin, Bayo Abraham-Adesanya and Muyiwa Ige, are guests of honour.

    The Royal Fathers of the Day are: the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

    Afenifere Leader, Chief Reuben Fashoranti and and his deputy, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, will be the special guests of honour.

    The Father of the Day is the Yoruba Council of Elders’ President General, Pa Idowu Sofola while Prof Sophie Oluwole will be the Mother of the Day.

    Odu’a National Awards, in form of carved Ori Olokun, will be bestowed on three eminent Yoruba personalities – Chief Reuben Fashoranti, as Agba Akin Ti Ile Odu’a; Pa Idowu Sofola, as Baba Eto Ti Ile Odu’a and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba, Aare Gani Adams, as Ajagungbade Ti Ile Odu’a.

    The statement added: “We are using this summit to bring together members of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum, Yoruba self-determination groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), National Youth Council and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the Southwest and participate in a very sensitive and intellectual issue that concerns everybody in the region. This can be best described as Yoruba Unity Summit in honour of this two outgoing governors.”

  • Ekiti N-Power beneficiaries to vote for Buhari in 2019

    •Fayemi rallies support for APC

    Beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme in Ekiti State have pledged to support the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, if he declares interest to run in 2019.

    The beneficiaries said the scheme has lifted them from poverty and saved them from the pangs of unemployment.

    They spoke at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at the maiden anniversary of the scheme.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, urged the beneficiaries to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this year’s governorship poll and next year’s general elections.

    The arrival of Fayemi, who represented the President at the event, elicited a deafening ovation as many of the beneficiaries chanted Ko Duro S’oke (Let It Stay At The Top), the minister’s political slogan.

    A total of 3,600 beneficiaries in Ekiti State joined the N-Power scheme in 2016 while 8,337 others were admitted into the scheme last year.

    A beneficiary Biodun Daramola said Buhari had shown commitment to the empowerment of the youth by committing N6 billion as monthly stipends to over 200,000 beneficiaries all over the country.

    Daramola said: “Because of what our President has done, I want every youth in Nigeria to support this APC government in 2019.

    “In 2019 general elections, we want all youths in Nigeria to support APC and all youths in Ekiti to support the party in the 2018 governorship election.”

    Other beneficiaries who testified that the scheme had changed their lives included Feyisayo Falegan, Adesoji Adedeji and Oluseye Odetola.

    The youths said they used the monthly stipends to set up businesses.

    The beneficiaries called for the sustenance of the scheme.

     

  • Ekiti JAMB candidates rue poor results

    The 2017/2018 candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said many of them failed this year’s examination. Some of candidates said the time scheduled for the examination was too short while some of the computers used for the examinations malfunctioned.

    Those who spoke with our correspondent include Tope Anjorin, Gbenga Fabiyi, Nneoma Ubani and Bisola Ajayi.

    They said some of the questions their examiner asked were not difficult but they were disappointed when they saw their ýscores on the internet.

    Anjorin recalled that though most of the questions were simple while others were difficult, but he was shocked when he saw 175 as her scores.

    Ajayi said she was not happy with the result of the examination because most of her colleagues failed woefully.

    Fabiyi and Ubani condemned the examination, adding that they scored below their expectations.

    The state’s JAMB Coordinator Hezekiah Onileowo said the current examination was peaceful without any malpractices.

    Onileowo said those who failed did not prepare well while others were not patient enough to read the instructions and the questions of the examination.

    The JAMB coordinator said the candidates concluded their examination at the state’s JAMB centre on March 14, but the two other centres at Ile-Abiye and the Federal Polytechnic in Ado-Ekiti would conclude theirs on March 17.

    The other two centres are currently having examination and security operatives, such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police were on guard to provide tight security at the centres.

  • APC in Ekiti: Open letter to Asiwaju Tinubu

    It is instructive to succinctly and saliently state it in the word of some adept and adroit historians that history cannot repeat itself as in their argument, content and context, especially with reference to personalities, time and space, are not similar, symmetrical or synonymous. Mark Twain, in line with this thought was of the opinion that “history does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme”. However, according to writer and philosopher, George Santayana, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The author believes that while history cannot be repeated, there is a possibility that if one does not learn through adaption or adoption of some measures, certain unpalatable occurrences of the past may rear their ugly heads in the future in the same pattern they occurred earlier.

    I witnessed the run off to the June 21, 2014 election in Ekiti. It is on record that impunity was at play in the build up to the election especially with the overt militarization of a supposedly democratic election. Moreover, politicians belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State were hunted, harassed and hounded in the wee hours to the election. The day of election came and votes were cast in the 177 wards in Ekiti with relative peace. I was at my own ward witnessing the voting and counting. It was apparent that APC lost that election because of followers’ perceptions of governance were cognitively misconstrued or neglected many months prior to the election! No wonder, the man in the saddle in the then, Dr Kayode Fayemi, regrettably said that he was not able to discern or decipher the sociology of Ekiti people.

    In his own words: “Indeed, a new sociology of the Ekiti people may have evolved. However, the task of understanding how the outcome of this election has defined us as a people will be that of scholars…”

    It was indeed unfortunate that many adherents and fans of the erstwhile helmsman deceived him as to the real feelers of followers at the grassroots with the thinking that the much developmental projects of Fayemi’s administration littering the State will ensure his coasting home at the election without any strong opposition. Alas, they were all proved wrong even though some of them claimed there was rigging. The question to ask is: Was rigging carried out simultaneously in all the 16 Local Government Areas that the erstwhile Governor could not win in any of the LGAs? However, it is on record that the court of law proved them wrong at the end.

    The heart of the matter: Is APC not likely towing that same rough and rugged road of June 2014 again? Seemingly, the elders of the party are lackadaisical leaving the party to forge ahead in a free fall without any mentoring or nurturing of aspiring members of the party as it happened it the hey days of Action Group (AG) or Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. This is poignantly worrisome as there are about 60 days to the conduct of party primaries taking cognizance of INEC’s timetable for the Ekiti Gubernatorial election. It is worrisome that there is no clear impartial leader of the party in Ekiti who can give direction that majority of members can defer to. Simultaneously, the ever increasing number of candidates of APC jostling to occupy Ekiti Government House (Oke Ayoba) come October 2018 numbering well over 40 at the last count is saddening as well as sordid. What is the way forward?

    It is high time the party at the Southwest level shifted its focus to Ekiti. It is imperative that the Southwest leaders of APC invite the Asiwaju Tinubu’s reconciliation committee to dialogue and discuss with leaders or chieftains of the party in Ekiti on the way forward. Firstly, there is the need for unity and oneness in the party as there are many groups, though no faction, within the party. Secondly, there is the urgent need to prune the number of aspiring candidates for the office of Governor. Thirdly, as a matter of core and cogent importance, is the issue of zoning of the party’s candidate. In this vein, the party needs to discern clearly what the Ekiti people want not what top leaders in Ekiti APC cognitively make of followers’ perceptions at the grassroots. This was one major undoing of the party in the June 2014 election. The incumbent Governor, being a skillful albeit seemingly rough political tactician and strategist has already anointed his candidate from the Ekiti South Senatorial District which has never produced a Governor since the State was created more than 21 years ago. Will it not be wise to cede the coveted seat to candidates from that senatorial district while jettisoning the myriads of candidates from both Ekiti North and Ekiti Central who at various times and seasons had their sons on the saddle? Is it not possible to adopt or adapt to the Lagos style of mutual consensus of where the next gubernatorial candidate comes from? It is heartwarming that Ogun State candidacy come 2019 election is tilting towards Yewa (Egbado) while that of Oyo State is oscillating towards Oke Ogun. It is high time APC became wiser in Ekiti so the party does not go down the Golgotha lane of slaughter as it occurred on June 21, 2014. A stitch in time saves nine!

    It is remarkable that APC still has a bright chance especially with the present discontent of Ekiti with the present administration. This chance can only translate to winning the election if the APC in Ekiti State will firmly resolve to put its house in order. In this vein, the Southwest leaders of the party can call for party stakeholders from all the 177 wards. Moreover, there is the need to objectively conduct an inquiry or research to diligently discern or decipher who Ekiti people want, where the candidate should come from and furthermore, what are the cogent areas the people at the grassroots desire the touch of the man that will mount the saddle come October 2018. All said and done, the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Reconciliation Committee needs to attend to the Ekiti matter with tenacity and thoroughness unless the leaders of the party wants the 2018 gubernatorial election to go the way that of 2014 went.

    • Dayo, writes from Ido-Ekiti

     dayo.opeyemi@yahoo.com

     

  • Lassa fever kills three in Ekiti

    •Five out of eight persons tested positive

    A fresh outbreak of Lassa fever has reportedly killed three persons in Ekiti State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rotimi Ojo, has said.

    Ojo, who addressed reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said five of the eight suspected cases tested negative while one was uncertain and the last one pending at press time last night.

    The commissioner said the government was taking proactive steps in its surveillance involving the residents because some cases and deaths had been recorded in neighbouring states.

    He assured the residents that the State Disease Control team had been alerted while the process of sensitising the people with jingles, adverts and other communications media were ongoing.

    Ojo said similar actions taken during the 2016 outbreak were successful, adding that the epidemic was controlled and the identified patient, who was properly managed, survived.

    According to him, the three isolation centres at Ido Federal Teaching Hospital in Ido-Ekiti; Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, Ado-Ekiti and the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti were still operational.

    The commissioner urged stakeholders, including health practitioners, teachers, traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as community and opinion leaders, to join hands with the state government to prevent the spread of the disease.

    He advised the people to avoid self-medication and keeping sick people at home.

    Ojo noted that any unusual increase in temperature or fever must be reported to the nearest health facility.

    He stressed the importance of environmental sanitation practices and general cleanliness, saying hand-washing, good food storage as well as practice and enforcement of infection prevention and control at various health facilities should not be compromised.

     

  • Bamidele: Ekiti will regain lost glory

    Former House of Representatives member Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele has declared his intention to run for Ekiti State governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

    Michael Opeyemi Bamidele became a household name in Nigeria as the National President of the National Association of  Nigeria (NANS).

    Having placed his hand on the political plough, he has not looked back. He has served as Senior Special Assistant to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,  National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Commissioner for Youths and Sports, and later, Information and Strategy in Lagos State, and member of the House of Representatives representing Ekiti Central Constituency 1, comprising Ado-Ekiti and Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government Areas.

    In 2014, his governorship bid hit the rock on the platform of the Labour Party (LP). He retraced his steps to the All Progressives Congress (APC. At the weeeked, he unfolded his ambition to succeed Governor Ayodele Fayose at a declaration ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Before the event, he had visited his ward in Iyin-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area and other parts of the state to inform party leaders of his intent. His posters in which he appeared in a white dress with a white “Awo” cap to match were visible in every part of the state with a caption: “Iranlowo nbo lona (Help is on the way). Help is on the Way”. This  is Bamidele’s message of hope for the people.

    His supporters from the 16 local government areas appeared in customized T-shirts, fez caps, and mufflers.  and other commemorative dresses. Motorists and commuters  along  Okeyinmi, Old Garage, Ijigbo, Ajilosun were held up in traffic as a result of the crowd. There was no dull moment as ‘Ekiti Kete House of Arts’ band and other entertainers thrilled the crowd. Bamidele rode to the venue in his open roof of his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), waving the broom, the symbol of the party.

    ‘Help is on the way,” he told the people, assuring thatof he state will be restored, if he becomes governor.

    The aspirant unveiled his manifestos, promising to transform sectors, including agriculture, security, tourism, housing, mining,human capital development, and infrastructure development. He said Ekiti will savour good governance.  good governance, among others.

    Bamidele spoke on his relationship with other aspirants, particularly the  Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor Segun Oni and Presidential Adviser on Politics Senator Femi Ojudu. He described them as patriots who mean well for Ekiti.

    Bamidele said the pact between him and Fayemi was not for personal aggrandizement, but for the corporate benefit to the party. He was referring to a recent visit Fayemi paid to him at his law chambers in Abuja.

    “The Minister visited my office in Abuja and the Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu also wrote a goodwill message to me as I declare my intention today. To me, this is a sign of good development. All the party leaders must work together. What these signaled was that the APC is no longer in war. It shows that the party is becoming more united and stronger. It showed that we are giving each other mutual respect.

    “ I have settled rift with Fayemi. The two of us are frontline party men and we have to work together to rescue our party. We are doing same with Engr. Segun Oni, all in the interest of our party”, he said.

    On the agitation for zoning to Ekiti South, Bamidele, who is from Ekiti Central, said it will not  preclude him and others from exercising their rights to contest.

    “The constitution of our party does not respect zoning. So, we are free to contest, irrespective of the legitimacy of the agitations”.

    Bamidele said he never defected from APC to another party, saying the party had not been formed when he defected to LP in 2013.

    “I was a member of the legal team that returned the Certificate of Registration of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria to INEC for APC to be consummated.

    “But because of the misunderstanding among the leaders of our party, I then quit even before the registration of the new party.

    “This is not even a basis for argument. Senator Ayo Arise left the Action Congress to the PDP in 2007 when he thought the primary that produced Fayemi was not fair enough and today, he is back, ditto Engr Oni.

    Winning the next election must be our ultimate target”, he advised. The Deputy Chairman of the party, Mrs Kemisola Olaleye, said the party held Bamidele in high esteem, adding that  his declaration would be an impetus to the party to reclaim the state back from the PDP.

    Olaleye assured that the party will conduct free and credible primary.

    As Bamidele continues to reach out to delegates, ahead of the primary in  May, it remains to be seen how far he would go in the race for the APC ticket.

  • Fayemi, Akeredolu light up Ekiti as ARG marks Awo’s birthday

    Fayemi, Akeredolu light up Ekiti as ARG marks Awo’s birthday

    •APC ’ll restore Awo’s legacies after July 14 poll, says minister

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, came alive yesterday as progressives under the aegis of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) celebrated the posthumous birthday of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, led a cast of political stalwarts, who came to celebrate the day with local progressives.

    They told a crowd of audience who thronged Eagle Hall, Ikere Road, Ajebamidele, Ado-Ekiti, that all Yorubas must sustain the ideals of Awolowo, which made the Southwest to stand out as a beacon of development.

    Members of ARG, All Progressives Congress (APC) and their admirers had earlier in the day staged a public walk to mark Awolowo’s 109th birthday from Okeyinmi Roundabout to Ajebamidele, venue of the public lecture in a carnival-like fashion.

    Fayemi used the occasion to sound a battle cry that the APC was poised to win back Ekiti State in the July 14 governorship election and implement the four cardinal policies of Awolowo, which was in operation when the progressives were in power.

    The former Ekiti State governor regretted that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has obliterated the four cardinal policies, which include free education, free health services for children, pregnant women, aged, job creation and rural growth.

    The minister, whose rumoured governorship ambition has been trending for the past few months, said the July 14 election represents a good opportunity to return the APC to power to restore the Awo-inspired legacies for the good of the people Fayemi said: “If we remember, for the past 11 years (since 2007), we have been celebrating Awolowo s birthday. What is most important is that those of us behind whom God has given the opportunity to lead, must pay our dues and help our people in Yoruba land.

    “Awolowo has done a great deal and that is why we are celebrating him since he died in 1987. He is still being celebrated in Ikenne today like we are doing in Ekiti.

    “Pa (Ayo) Fasanmi once told me that Awolowo wished he had been born in Ekiti because then his largest followers were from Ekiti and he knew everyone in the state.

    “If he was alive today, he would have been in APC as his political party. This is because this party was founded on Awo’s political ideals. We are Awolowo’s descendants in Ekiti.

    “We know Awolowo for what we call four cardinal points, from the days of the Action Group (AG) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) – these are: free education, free healthcare for children, pregnant, old and disabled, job creation and rural development.

    “If you remember, all these points were what we ensured when we were in power in Ekiti; sadly they are no more in the state.

    “In conclusion, don’t let us not lose hope, just like Governor Akeredolu has said, all these ideals of Awo, we will ensure we do all we could to return them to Ekiti.

    “I appreciate the ARG for celebrating late sage Awolowo. In truth, all of us who are of Yoruba race, it is high time we took up our role as leaders. We are the leaders of the black race.”

    Akeredolu, who was chairman of the occasion, said the APC is the party that still promotes Awo’s legacies, noting that the first Premier of the Western Region was being celebrated for pioneering the development of his race.

    He said: “We are celebrating what Awolowo stood for, which is the advancement of the Yoruba and African race. Ours is pureness of heart. Awolowo has played his part. It remains us to play ours.

    “We cannot all forget the immense contribution of Awolowo, especially among the Yoruba race. Afenifere song was composed by Awolowo. The song says that we the Yorubas are the light of the black race. May God not allow us to draw ourselves backwards.

    “When Awolowo was incarcerated in those days, Hubert Ogunde counselled us to have a rethink in his popular song ‘Yoruba Ronu.’

    “Celebrating Awo’s legacy would make us remember the great contribution of our great forbears. I urge all Yorubas to have a rethink and reunite. We must all work together for our progress.”

    ARG National Chairman Hon. Wale Oshun urged the people of Ekiti State to vote APC at the next governorship election, describing the party as “the baby of Afenifere”.

    Oshun, who was represented by an ARG leader, Mr. Ayo Afolabi, said the body would work hard to ensure that Awo’s legacies remain alive, adding that the Yoruba would continue to celebrate the late political legend.

    Oshun said: “Every society reveres it forbears. We all talk about Awolowo. His works shall not perish. We are here to celebrate Awolowo so we won’t forget his legacies.

    “APC is the party that we the Afenifere have embraced. It is the party that can assist the Yoruba race to the promise land. We enjoin all people to vote for the party in Ekiti.”

    A guest lecturer at the event, Prof. Alade Fawole, regretted that many of the contemporary political office seekers lack germane ideas to lead because they haven’t groomed themselves by reading and getting exposed to ideas that would make them better leaders.

    Fawole, in his lecture titled: “Obafemi Awolowo and transformative politics:

    Sustaining the worthy legacy,” urged politicians to emulate Awolowo by developing ideas that would change the society for better.

     

  • ‘We will liberate Ekiti from Fayose’

    ‘We will liberate Ekiti from Fayose’

    Dr. Bode Olowoporoku is a former Minister of Science and Technology. He represented Ekiti South District in the Senate between 2003 and 2007. The governorship aspirant on the platform of the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) in Ekiti State told ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, that he is the best man for the job. 

    Why do you want to become the governor of Ekiti State?

    It is for the liberation of our people; those who have been there have been misruling. They have been failing our people and they don’t have the capacity to deliver. You know if you don’t have the reservoir of knowledge and the capacity, you cannot do well. All those factors are very important, but absent in them. They have no focus. They don’t know how to develop our people and they just want to become governor.

    When they are governor now, what do they do? They just spend the money and use the power. Fayose said he is the governor that he has the power to carry money to everywhere you like in the world.

    There is a lot to be done to develop the people and I want to set a model for the people of Nigeria and to liberate Ekiti from hunger. My specialisation is to develop the people because I did Development Economics. That is one of the programmes I want to execute; it doesn’t mean that I will be feeding them. That is just a minor, but I am desirous of reducing poverty and reducing hunger. That is why I will be giving our people 100 bags of rice per ward per months throughout my four-year tenure non-stop rather than two kilos, three kilos of rice once in two years. Then, I want to lead an agricultural revolution, which will be based on systemic model of farming. These are things I have in my head, which I hope to execute to develop Ekiti State and other states will be copying. Those in power are ruling without model and if you are ruling without model, you cannot achieve much and you will be in confusion.

    Do you believe your party is strong enough to defeat the two major parties-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship election?

    Yes. This is a special type of election, it is a solo election. The focus is not on the party, but on the gubernatorial candidate. At the last election, you will know that, even if the APC was strong, Fayemi was not likable and that was why he was defeated. The parameter people now consider is who is the person? Not just the masquerade. The people were voting for the masquerade before. But now, it is not a general election; it is a party election. It’s about the personality election.

    Who is going to be governor? It is the comparison between the three gubernatorial candidates; those of the Mega Party, the APC and the PDP. That is what we are canvassing. That is what people will look at and the people have made up their minds that they want a new character. They want a new person to govern them because they had suffered in the past and that is why I know that I will be the preferred candidate. Let our people be honest with themselves. What are the gains they had made in the last four years that Fayose had been there that they will vote him or his surrogate? No. What has he been using to win? Two or three cups of rice, but now, am saying I will be giving them 100 bags of rice, every ward, every month. Even if you are taking it from the central purse in seven years, it  is not up to what Fayose spent on his useless flyover to nowhere. And this is the money you can get from the security vote and you use the money to feed the people because the state belongs to them. The problem is this: you have a budget and that budget is for the people. The money that the governor goes to Abuja to carry is for the people and not for him.