NIGERIA: When APC Leadership Stormed Ekiti

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With last week’s mega rally of the All Progressives Congress in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, the re-election campaign of Governor Kayode Fayemi, may have received a major boost, writes Shola Oyeyipo
 
On Wednesday, May 20, 2014, exactly a month to the much talked about governorship election in Ekiti State, the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi got a major booster when some of the most prominent names in the All Progressives Congress (APC), converged on the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, in solidarity with one of their own. Fayemi is a notable member of the APC. He was the chairman of Progressives Governors' Forum (PGF), a position he relinquished to Governor Rochas Okorochas of Imo State. In his days as the PGF chairman he openly critisised unpopular policies of the federal government.
 
The next month election has remained a source of concern to many. The governor has maintained that he has performed veritably well and that by that factor alone, he expects that he should have an easy ride back to power at the poll. But the prevailing political situation in the state seems to be calling such thinking to question.
 
For instance, what started as minor fracas between Governor Fayemi and former Lagos State commissioner for information who is now a House of Representatives member from Ekiti State, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele – now Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the governorship election has festered so bad and pitched the two friends against each other.
 
While the governor has Bemidele, his former party man, to contend with, former governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – is also another major opponent that the governor would have to deal with to secure his return to the Government House. 
So when his APC compatriots arrived the mega rally, they did not only canvass support for Fayemi, other governors of the party endorsed him as the party’s standard bearer. The flag of the party was presented to him and the people of the state were urged to bring him back for a second term with their votes
 
All the who-is-who in the party including former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari; former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu; Chief Tom Ikimi; Chief Ogbonnaya Onu; APC interim national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former PDP governor in Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni; former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Bello Masari; former chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and former acting national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje were at the event.
 
Incumbent APC governors such as Governors Rochas Okorochas (Imo), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfathai Ahmed (Kwara), Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Shettima (Borno), Raji Fashola (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) Biola Ajimobi (Oyo) Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar (Zamfara) and Adams Oshiohmole were joined by former governors; Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Timiprey Silva (Bayelsa), Chief Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara) at the occasion.
 
Also at the event were APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Osun State deputy governor, Mrs. Titilayo Tomori; APC Woman Leader, Sharon Ikeazor; APC governorship candidate in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, husband of the late Ekiti State deputy governor, Architect Olayinka, a long list of National Assembly members and other party members.
 
Though it was not an event for many speeches, the party, in recognition of the delicate security situation, the over 200 secondary school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State and the bomb blast in Jos, Plateau called for a minute silence and said only a few people were to make remarks. But what was basic was that each of the speakers sold Fayemi to the large crowd gathered at the stadium.
 
While all the speakers drew comparisons that presented Governor Fayemi as a better candidate to Fayose, no mention was made of Bamidele.
 
From the Director-General, Fayemi Campaign Orgainsation, Hon. Bimbo Daramola to the APC chairman, Oni, Hon. Jide Awe, Okorocha, Buhari, Tinubu, Onu, Ikeazor, Oshiohmole and Aregbesola who addressed the huge crowd of supporters, everyone noted that Fayemi was a better option to Fayose, considering the antecedents of the duo.
 
One of the most notable speakers who added colour to the event was former governor Oni, who explained why he opted to pitch his tent with the APC and against Fayose of the PDP, the platform on which he ruled the state.
 
According to him, "We are here to construct a new platform to connect the future. To rise against previous prejudices and misunderstandings, to celebrate a new political order – not just for Ekiti State but for Nigeria. The political class must guide this democracy to benefit the masses.
 
“I do not want anybody I cannot point as a good model for my children as a governor for the good people of Ekiti State. We cannot afford to have a government that will pass under a security wire at the airport. We don't want a governor that people will ask you: why did that happen? That is why I'm here (with the APC)."
 
In a question to the crowd, Oni asked: "Ekiti people, do you want to return to when you sleep with one eye opened because you don't know who may invade your house? Do you want them to give us an Ekiti we cannot associate with?" To this, the people shouted a thunderous "no."
 
He said returning Fayemi to power is a project for every Nigerian and that Ekiti people from far and near should return to the state to vote the governor back for a second term.
 
"The political elite must not endanger this democracy. If out of exigency we bring people who are less than qualified, they bring down the dignity of such office. Therefore, we must tell the party that is bringing such (Fayose) back, no. They are coming with lots of negativity but our prayer is that badness will not come to Ekiti again. The coming election is the final vote by God's grace.
 
"It is a project for the whole of Nigeria. If you have your voters' card, come home and we must ensure that governor Fayemi is voted back massively. We must vote massively to make Fayemi our governor again," Oni implored the people.
 
Governor Okorocha also expressed similar position when he noted that the PDP is failing Nigeria whereas the APC is providing the nation with the much needed change.
"Today, we are mourning 180 (Jos bombing victims) who cannot have life again. We must bring about change. We are gathered here for the love of democracy to celebrate excellence by Governor Fayemi. The progressive governors are not only here to support him but also to endorse him.
 
"People are enjoying in Ekiti because a good man is in power. May God forbid that a bad man rule again. Fayemi is a good man. We see him as a role model. He is guaranteed to be the governor of any state in Nigeria. We are not here to beg you to support him because his achievements speak volume.
 
"The PDP has four gears backward and one gear forward – payment, health, security, infrastructure – backward but corruption, poverty and insecurity – forward.
"It is now time, particularly the youths. The election day is not a tea party. You have to be ready. I always say power is not served out. Ours is progress, development, education, which is important to Ekiti people. You don't want to give it to educated illiterate," Okorocha urged.
 
For Aregbesola, the people must make the choice with their votes and ensure that their votes are protected.
"You cannot see the road and head for the bush. We know how Ekiti State was. Even the former governor (Segun Oni) is now with us. He said it would not be good for who would spoil the state to come back.
 
"It’s no joke, not just about singing. It is one month away. We must show who owns the state on the voting day when we would meet at the field.”
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