EKITI 2018 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION BEYOND APC, PDP
EKITI 2018 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION BEYOND APC, PDP
INEC chairman Prof Mahmoud Yakubu
As Ekiti State
governorship election draws near, the tempo of political activities has
increased. According to the timetable released by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), the election will hold on July 14 this year.
Aside from the two
major political parties, that is, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
the major opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), snippets from other
fringe parties show that they are not leaving anything to chance. Some of these
parties may be the beneficiaries of a possible implosion that may occur in APC
and PDP after the parties’ primaries. Currently, the parties with visible
presence in the state include:
Social Democratic
Party (SDP)
The Social Democratic Party, which has just come to Ekiti State, is yet to officially have a governorship aspirant. However, events in the past weeks showed it may be the third force that some of the bigwigs in the other political parties could flock to at the appointed time. As the party finds its feet in the state, many aggrieved aspirants on the platform of the PDP are already moving there in droves. They are the aspirants, who have been at loggerheads with the ruling party over the imposition of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the sole candidate.
The Social Democratic Party, which has just come to Ekiti State, is yet to officially have a governorship aspirant. However, events in the past weeks showed it may be the third force that some of the bigwigs in the other political parties could flock to at the appointed time. As the party finds its feet in the state, many aggrieved aspirants on the platform of the PDP are already moving there in droves. They are the aspirants, who have been at loggerheads with the ruling party over the imposition of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the sole candidate.
Some aspirants who
could not stomach the alleged imposition were seen at the stakeholders meeting
of the SDP, organised by the national leadership of the party, which held in
Ado Ekiti, the state capital recently. They included the erstwhile Deputy
Governor to Ayodele Fayose, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni, the former Ambassador to Canada,
Mr. Dare Bejide, who was represented by Mr. Yemi Arokodare, while Senator Raji
Rasaki was represented at the forum by Chief Titi Oluwatuyi, who announced her
desire to join the party and the member representing Ekiti Central 2 Federal
Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Olamide Oni, was physically
present at the forum.
Speaking at the
stakeholders meeting, Omoyeni, a former Managing Director of Wema Bank, urged
the SDP members not to fear as nobody can intimidate them. “This party was
established by divine creation and it has become the third force. Be assured
that our people are coming en masse to this party. Any support the party needs
to occupy Oke Ayoba (government house) we will render it. Most of the aspirants
who are still slugging it out in other parties are coming here. In fact, 70
percent of the members of PDP in Ekiti are moving to SDP.”
The National
Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yemi Akinbode, who led other National Working
Committee (NWC) of the SDP to the stakeholders meeting, said that the meeting
was called because of the Ekiti election, which he said was strategic to the
party.
“This is the first
meeting after the inauguration of the interim state working committee of SDP,
because the election is fast approaching. The national leadership of the party
mandated me and others, including former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde
Adeniran, to come to Ekiti and quickly put together the stakeholders meeting to
explain the vision, programmes, as well as, the structure of the party and our
expectations in the coming governorship election in the state. People are
already coming out, who ordinarily will not have shown their faces. This is an
indication that this is the party to beat.
“It is instructive
that those sending representatives are already here. Bisi Omoyeni is here by
himself. That is to show that he is here with us. Ambassador Dare Bejide and
Mr. Lawrence Oluwawemimo Arokodare are here and that is to show that more are
still coming and that is an indication that the house divided against itself
can’t stand and that is to show that PDP is in trouble. Our goal and objective
is to win the governorship election in Ekiti come July 14,” he said.
The party however
constituted six standing committees to galvanize support for it ahead of the
election. They are, the Contact and Mobilization, Youth, Women, Communication
and strategy, Result and Funding and Elders Committees.
Meanwhile, the
Advance People Democratic Party (APDA) in Ekiti State has said it has merged
with the SDP. The leader of the party in the state, Chief S. O Elebute, led
some members of the party to the SDP stakeholders meeting, where he made the
declaration.
Abundant Nigeria
Renewal Party (ANRP)
As one of the newly registered political parties in the country, the ANRP is relying on the youth population, which are mostly listeners to the radio programme of its promoter and the governorship aspirant, Reverend Tunde Afe, who is the Lead Pastor of House of Faith Christian Centre, Ado Ekiti. Afe, who is popular as a life coach\motivational speaker and businessman, has motivational programme on radio that has endeared him to the people of the state. He had once contested for the House of Assembly but was told, shortly before the Assembly primary election that a candidate had been chosen and that action foreclosed his contest and ambition to represent his people. At a press briefing to announce his aspiration, Afe said his experience in that election had prepared him for the current contest, stressing that something urgent must be done to set Ekiti State on the path of growth.
As one of the newly registered political parties in the country, the ANRP is relying on the youth population, which are mostly listeners to the radio programme of its promoter and the governorship aspirant, Reverend Tunde Afe, who is the Lead Pastor of House of Faith Christian Centre, Ado Ekiti. Afe, who is popular as a life coach\motivational speaker and businessman, has motivational programme on radio that has endeared him to the people of the state. He had once contested for the House of Assembly but was told, shortly before the Assembly primary election that a candidate had been chosen and that action foreclosed his contest and ambition to represent his people. At a press briefing to announce his aspiration, Afe said his experience in that election had prepared him for the current contest, stressing that something urgent must be done to set Ekiti State on the path of growth.
Alliance for
Democracy (AD)
AD was formed in 1998 among the three political parties that took part in the 1999 general election along with the PDP and the All Peoples Party (APP). The party once controlled the six states of the southwest before the PDP made inroads to the zone. The party gave birth to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), but has continued to survive as a fringe party. Its governorship aspirant, Pastor Akinboye Fashogbon, also doubles as the National Secretary of the party. He is so far, the only known contender. He has said the party, which perennially comes third in the state, has changed strategies to help it come first this time round.
AD was formed in 1998 among the three political parties that took part in the 1999 general election along with the PDP and the All Peoples Party (APP). The party once controlled the six states of the southwest before the PDP made inroads to the zone. The party gave birth to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), but has continued to survive as a fringe party. Its governorship aspirant, Pastor Akinboye Fashogbon, also doubles as the National Secretary of the party. He is so far, the only known contender. He has said the party, which perennially comes third in the state, has changed strategies to help it come first this time round.
Accord Party (AD)
The party is not new, especially in Oyo State, where the founder holds sway. The party boasts of some members in both the state and National Assembly. Its governorship aspirant, Akogun Banji Ojo, said he has no rival, just like Pastor Fashogbon of AD. Members of the party say he has remained the symbol of the Accord in Ekiti State.
The party is not new, especially in Oyo State, where the founder holds sway. The party boasts of some members in both the state and National Assembly. Its governorship aspirant, Akogun Banji Ojo, said he has no rival, just like Pastor Fashogbon of AD. Members of the party say he has remained the symbol of the Accord in Ekiti State.
The Mega party
Two candidates are vying for the governorship on the platform of the Mega party. Senator Bode Olowoporoku, who was Minister in the Second Republic and Senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district in the National Assembly, from 2003 to 2007. He is an aggrieved PDP politician. He defected from the ruling party, because he felt his ambition was endangered.
Two candidates are vying for the governorship on the platform of the Mega party. Senator Bode Olowoporoku, who was Minister in the Second Republic and Senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district in the National Assembly, from 2003 to 2007. He is an aggrieved PDP politician. He defected from the ruling party, because he felt his ambition was endangered.
The second aspirant,
Mr. Biodun Aluko, was the deputy to Governor Fayose in his first tenure. He was
removed in controversial circumstances. He was in the PDP before pitching his
tent with the Mega Party. The two, no doubt are formidable aspirants that
cannot be dismissed in the political calculation of the state, but it is yet to
be seen if the platform on which they are aspiring can help their aspirations.
The political
situation in the state makes the future of these parties unpredictable. While
some of them might spring surprises, being beneficiary of the crises being
envisaged in APC and PDP, some of them may just not fly in the poll.
Meanwhile, INEC has
released the notice of the governorship election in the state in accordance
with Section 30 of the Electoral Law.
The State’s Resident
Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Abdul-Ganiyu Raji in a release disclosed
that open campaign for political parties would start on April 15.