As part of the party’s bid to snatch power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has flagged off a fresh membership mobilisation drive in Ekiti State. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA, who covered the chairman’s first official visit to the Land of Honour, reports.
The campaign for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State is gathering momentum within the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the visit of its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to the state recently.
Beyond the frenzy and razzmatazz that characterised the visit lies a steely resolve and determination to bring Ekiti back into the mainstream politics and the fold of the progressives. Although he was in the state to kick-start the registration of new members, Odigie-Oyegun used the occasion to sound a battle cry that the state, also known as the Fountain of Knowledge, will be annexed by the APC come July 14.
The one-time Edo State governor declared that the governorship poll is a “must-win” for his party; a statement that generated ripples in the political space. The applause that greeted the chairman’s declaration shook the Great Eagle Hall, venue of the stakeholders’ meeting, to its foundation.
Before his arrival, residents of Ado-Ekiti knew that something big was in the offing, as vehicles carrying supporters of governorship aspirants moved towards the secretariat along Ikere Road in Ajilosun. The secretariat was awash with banners, miniatures billboards and posters of the over 30 aspirants gunning for the party’s ticket.
Food vendors, as well as those selling drinks and party souvenirs had a brisk business marketing their wares.
Odigie-Oyegun and the other members of the delegation arrived the venue amidst drumming, trumpeting, singing and dancing. Before then, one lane of the highway had been cordoned off by security men and this created a huge traffic snarl.
The highpoint of the visit to the secretariat was the flagging off of the membership registration drive by APC National Chairman, to send a signal the party’s readiness to win the July 14 election and bring the state back into the fold of the progressives. He was joined by some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), including the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso and the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Chief Pius Akinyelure.
Afterwards, the train moved to Eagle Hall, along Ikere Road, where another crowd of party faithful had gathered. The entry of Odigie-Oyegun and his team, followed by other stakeholders, including the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo, Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni and other aspirants into the hall generated excitement in the audience.
Supporters of the various aspirants were chanting the names and slogans of their principals and were determined to outdo one another. Ekiti APC Publicity Secretary Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun had a hectic time trying to calm the audience, to pave the way for the the stakeholders’ meeting to officially commence.
It took the intervention of the State Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, to restore order and allow the National Chairman to address the audience. Two leaders of the party in Ekiti, former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Ronke Okusanya and former chairman of Ado Local Government, Chief David Adigun, were the only ones given the opportunity to welcome the guests, particularly Odigie-Oyegun.
Okusanya told Oyegun: “You have seen the enthusiasm of our people; you have seen the interest of our people in the forthcoming election. We appeal to you that trust is very important in the conduct of the primary scheduled for May 5, 2018. We want to see the party united, so that we can move into the election as one body, because we are ready to snatch the government from the impostors.”
Adigun said: “Ekiti is an APC state, but those in power now are ‘highway robbers.’ We want a honest primary, a transparent primary, a straightforward primary.”
Odigie-Oyegun said he was happy with the excitement and enthusiasm among party members in Ekiti, as well as the vibrant and energetic display by some aspirants. He assured all aspirants that a credible, free, fair and transparent primary election will be conducted to choose the party’s flag bearer.
He stressed that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would not compromise the integrity of the ballot box, despite the party’s quest to regain the governorship seat in Ekiti. The party leader promised that the APC will mobilise all available resources to assist members in Ekiti to win the July governorship poll.
Governorship aspirants in attendance include: Chief Segun Oni, Mr. Olufemi Bamisile, Dr. Wole Oluyede, Mr. Kola Alabi, Mr. Victor Kolade, Dr. Bayo Orire, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Captain Sunday Adebomi, Dr. Mojisola Kolade, Chief Diran Adesua, Mr. Bimbo Daramola, Senator Ayo Arise, Dr. Wole Oluleye and Dr. Makanjuola Owolabi.
The National Chairman added: “We did not choose Ekiti to flag off this event (new membership drive) by accident. Ekiti is facing an important election. God has put it in our hands; God has put it on your laps and God has chosen Ekiti to be a major factor in the politics of this country in July 2018.
“We in the National Executive have decided that the coming election is one we will work as hard as possible. No stone will be left unturned; it is a must-win election. As you know, the Muhammadu Buhari administration will not compromise with offering voters a level-playing field.
“The Buhari administration will not compromise on having a free and fair election. It means whether we are in power at the federal level or not, we must all work hard to deserve the victory that belongs to us.”
Odigie-Oyegun also reeled out some guidelines to ensure that aspirants and their supporters conduct themselves with decorum and ensure that the party organizes a transparent primary.
He added: “The aspirants should not campaign as if there is no tomorrow; don’t campaign with enmity, because there should be no discord in the party and anybody that wants to fly the party’s flag must sign an undertaking to maintain decorum.
“We at the national headquarters, having guaranteed a free and fair primary, because there cannot be peace without justice, will guarantee a free and fair primary. We must not have bad losers; all aspirants must collapse their structures into that of the winner of the primary. There must be no division and factionalisation in the party.
“No officer (in the state exco) should join the campaign bandwagon of any aspirant whatever position you hold. The moment you do that, you have factionalised the party.”
Speaking on the fear that the national leadership intends to impose a candidate, Odigie-Oyegun said: “I want to assure that in Ekiti State, we will have free, fair and credible primary. We will provide security at the primary; it will be an open event that will be covered live on television from the beginning to the end.
“There will be proper identification of delegates to prevent impersonation. Once the delegate list is out, every aspirant that pays the prescribed fee will be given the delegates list.
“At the voting point, party chairmen of the local government (chapters) and wards will stand at a distance away but they will ensure that those that will vote are bona fide delegates and anybody found impersonating will be handed over to the Police.
“A formidable group of (APC) governors will be mobilized who will superintend, guide and ensure that the election is totally free and fair. Finally, as far as Ekiti governorship election is concerned, we are going to mobilise the entire country, the entire APC structure to ensure that you (Ekiti APC) are not alone and that all resources you need for the election are made available to you. At the end of July, Ekiti will be in the APC fold.”
Awe promised to abide by the “commandment” issued by Oyegun and organized a credible primary among aspirants.
At the end of the day, Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, presented gift on behalf of the state APC caucus to mark the National Chairman’s visit to the state.
After the departure of the guests, party members staged a “show of force” round the town causing another round of traffic gridlock.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti PDP Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, has declared the state a “no-go area for the APC”. He boasted that the opposition party would not win the election, even “if President Muhammad Buhari is brought down to serve as Returning Officer “.
Oguntuase urged the international community to focus on the Ekiti poll and prevent it from being manipulated by the APC. He also called on civil society organisations (CSO) to monitor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that it conducts a poll that will reflect the true wishes of the Ekiti electorate.
Oguntuase said: “Every single APC member here in Ekiti knows that the party has no chance of winning even one of the 16 local councils. He said: “The only thing they have been saying is that Governor Ayodele Fayose has been giving President Muhammadu Buhari problems and that he (Buhari) has vowed to go to any length to take Ekiti from the governor, so as to serve as a payback for his persistent criticism of the President.
“To us in the PDP, we can begin to draw correlation between the yesterday’s “we must win the Ekiti election by fire by force” comment of Chief Odigie-Oyegun with the way the APC has been boasting of using federal might to take Ekiti.
“However, we are sure that even if President Buhari is brought to Ekiti as the INEC Returning Officer for the election, the APC will still fail.
The international community and CSOs in Nigeria should therefore begin to focus their attention on the election from now and beam their searchlights on INEC and other agencies of the Federal Government that will be involved in the election.
“This is because the election will be an indicator of the readiness and willingness of INEC to conduct free, fair and credible presidential election in 2019.”
