Ekiti gov’ship: The battle of the anointed candidates

Governor Kayode Fayemi and his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose, have remained the most dominant names in Ekiti politics since the 1996-created state started electing leaders in 1999.  Surprisingly, neither commanded any major stake in Ekiti politics until Fayose defeated the then incumbent governor, Niyi Adebayo, to become the second governor of the state in 2003.  From […]

Governor Kayode Fayemi and his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose, have remained the most dominant names in Ekiti politics since the 1996-created state started electing leaders in 1999. 

Surprisingly, neither commanded any major stake in Ekiti politics until Fayose defeated the then incumbent governor, Niyi Adebayo, to become the second governor of the state in 2003. 

From 2003 till date, the governorship position has been alternated between Fayose and Fayemi, except for the brief period that followed Fayose’s impeachment in 2006, which led to the reign of Segun Oni, who was removed in 2010 by the Ayo Salami-led Court of Appeal.

Sixty-one-year-old Fayose from Afao Ekiti, successfully completed his second term in 2018 while 56-year-old Fayemi from Isan Ekiti will be rounding off his second term in office later this year.

Saturday, June 18 will be the first time since 2003 that neither of them will be on the ballot but the electorate would be making a choice between the anointed candidates of the duo. 

Though there are other candidates in the race, either the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to produce the next governor.

Fayose, the leader of the Osoko Political Assembly was able to claim victory for his preferred candidate, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, despite the strong showing by former governor Oni and two deputies – Senator Biodun Olujimi and Kolapo Olusola (incidentally, both were deputies to Fayose during his first and second terms) at the primaries conducted by Gov Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

In a similar manner, Fayemi’s right-hand man, Biodun Oyebanji, was announced by Jigawa State Governor Muhammad Badaru as the winner of the APC primaries despite the protest and withdrawal by seven aspirants from the exercise. 

The aspirants – Kayode Mojo, Demola Popoola, Femi Bamisile, Bamidele Faparusi, Dayo Adeyeye, Opeyemi Bamidele and Afolabi Oluwasola – alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primaries.

However, Fayose and Fayemi might have influenced the emergence of these candidates but they are no pushovers in Ekiti politics.

Otunba Bisi Kolawole, popularly known as Bisi Kay, who will be flying the flag of the PDP at the poll, is a grassroots politician, who hails from Efon Alaaye in Ekiti Central Senatorial District. 

He has served as councillor and lawmaker representing Efon constituency in the State House of Assembly. Fayose appointed him as Commissioner for the Environment between 2015 and 2018. He is also a former chairman of the PDP in the state.

Analysts argue that Bisi Kay is a friend to all the major players in the PDP and would have gotten the support of Oni and Olujimi if they were not in the race.

In a bid to mend fences after the primaries, Bisi Kay had visited some of the aspirants who contested against him. However, he was unable to see Engr. Oni when he visited his country home in Ifaki Ekiti as the former governor, who condemned the conduct of the primaries, was said to be away.

Otunba Kolawole, who will be banking on his grassroots support and the political machinery of Fayose at the poll, will also need the support of aggrieved aspirants, especially Oni and Olujimi.

However, the PDP scribe in the state, Mr. Raphael Adeyanju, said Bisi Kay will win the election because he is experienced and sellable. He noted that the APC in the state is in disarray, noting that some members of the ruling party would soon join PDP.

“Bisi Kolawole, is a gentleman who started his career in the local government system. He would make the people proud when he becomes governor of Ekiti,” he said.

The Director of Media and Publicity of Bisi Kolawole Campaign Organization, Lere Olayinka, who is also the spokesman of Fayose, said the former councillor is the candidate to beat at the poll.

On his part, Hon. Biodun Oyebanji, who resigned as the Secretary to the State Government to contest the primaries, is unarguably one of the most experienced politicians in Ekiti.

The Ikogosi Ekiti-born technocrat served as the secretary of the group that lobbied late General Sani Abacha for the creation of Ekiti State. He also served as Special Assistant on Legislative Matters to the first civilian governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, before ending up as his Chief of Staff.

During Fayemi’s first term, he served as Commissioner for Integration before he was deployed to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

Oyebanji said his candidacy points to his track record of competence, compassion and character as well as his vision for moving Ekiti State forward. He enjoined other aspirants to come together to work towards victory for a brighter future for the APC.

The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ekiti State, Segun Dipe, said the party will win the governorship election on the strength of the achievements of Governor Fayemi. He said APC would use available internal mechanisms to resolve its differences.

Interestingly, Bisi Kay and Oyebanji are from Ekiti Central Senatorial district, despite the calls that the next governor should come from the Southern Senatorial district, which has not occupied the exalted seat since 1999.

On Wednesday, Some aggrieved APC governorship aspirants in Ekiti State, including Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon. Femi Bamisile, have said their grievances over the primary election won’t make them defect from the APC.

The aspirants said they won’t hesitate to stay in the party and teach it a bitter lesson over the alleged electoral fraud perpetrated during the primary using political and legal means

The emergence of these two leading candidates has reignited the political rivalry between Fayose and Fayemi. 

Fayose unseated Fayemi in 2014 while the latter defeated the anointed candidate of the former, Prof. Eleka in 2018. So who is going to win this time? The scheming continues.