Who blinks first in Ekiti?

-As Adeyeye joins guber race

By Gboyega Adeoye

The audibility of drumbeat of political activities in the once sleepy Ekiti State is no longer in question. Trade, cultural as well as social groups are now shedding their original garment to don the toga of politics in preparation for the gubernatorial primaries that will usher in the elections in 2014. And as is always the case, it has been a game of wit, ego and popularity contest on the part of the many contestants that are gunning for the state’s number one position.

 

Intra party wrangling and naked political brigandage such that preceded notable elections in the state in which change has always proved itself as permanent feature is already taking place while the two dominant political parties in the state noted for its sophistication in politics are already putting heads together on how to gain the reins of power as a mark of justification for their avowed popularities. It will be recalled that the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was first to lead the state in the twilight of current political dispensation before power changed hand to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held sway for almost two terms before a law court reversed the continuity and gave incumbent Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Kayode Fayemi the mandate to rule till 2014.

 

What makes the coming governorship elections thicker than it used to be in the past is that, while the PDP has not for once accepted the ruling that ousted it from the state’s leadership, almost at the peak of the second lap, the ACN on the other hand is making effort to proof that the mandate it secured through the court is justified in the next election.

 

“All that we are seeing today is not strange in Ekiti politics. It is a game of popularity that should be expected between the two dominant parties in the state. They have to do this because of the sophistication in politics that have come to bare in our past elections where no party can claim that it can go to sleep on assumption that it has bought the heart of the people,” were the words of Adelana Adeyanju, a youth leader and Vice Chairman of Ekiti Alliance for Democratic Stability (EADS).

 

According to Adeyanju, the ongoing internal wrangling in the ruling ACN and lingering disregard for the ideals of democracy may earn the PDP a high mark if the latter is careful in the selection of who lift its flag in the coming gubernatorial elections. “It is all going to be about personality and not party affiliation this time. The Ekiti people have decided to retrace their steps and do it right again. We are tired of theories. We want to see things that will actually turn our desires to reality on table, so if any political party thinks it has come to stay, I am sorry. It has happened several times before and it is bound to happen again,” Adeyanju stressed.

 

And true to Adeyanju’s words, a group called Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) took the people of the state by surprise when they held a press conference in support of the candidature of astute lawyer and former spokesman of Yoruba Pan socio-political organisation, Adedayo Adeyeye as coming governor of Ekiti State.

 

“We have called you here today to inform you formally that Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a one-time spokesperson of Afenifere, the pan Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, a lawyer and journalist will on Monday, April 29, 2013 formally declare his intention to contest for the office of Governor of Ekiti State in 2014 under the platform of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the group had declared.

 

Adeyeye, is to submit his letter of intent for the post in a colourful event that will draw all well wishers as well as party faithfuls across Nigeria on Monday just as his campaign office will be opened formally.

 Prince Dayo Adeyeye’s decision to throw his hat into the ring and vie for the governorship ticket of the party is said to have been borne out of the collective desire to save Ekiti State “from governance by deceit and credit, which the present government in the State represents.

 

“We believe that Prince Dayo Adeyeye has the capacity to govern Ekiti State responsibly and harness all its human and natural resources without plunging the State into unwarranted debt. It is also our belief that the governor Ekiti people desire at this time is one who has the capability to offer real governance, not governance by deceit and credit that is being witnessed in the State now.”

 

The group told the mammoth crowd that witnessed the briefing that its major concern is accountability in governance and prudence on the part of whoever will lead the state.

 

“For instance, you all know that for the first time in the history of Ekiti State, our State is being run on credit. Funds that should accrue to the State in the next 20 years are being taken in advance through questionable loans and bond, with the implication that future generation of Ekiti people will be saddled with the task of repaying loans already spent even when they were yet to be born.

 

“More painful is the fact that loans and bonds are being taken by the present government, not to execute income generating projects but to construct a new government house (even when the present government house is one of the biggest in the country), build civic centre, lay asphalt on already asphalted roads, power street lights with generators, and purchase fraudulent awards.

 

“A few days ago, we were told that the dualisation of the 19km Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki road initiated by the Segun Oni-led PDP government had been increased from N7.4bn to N11bn. That road was initially awarded by the Segun Oni’s government for N6.3bn and reviewed upward to N7.4bn owing to the change in design so as to remove all the bends at the Iworoko part of the road, which required blasting of rocks and construction of extra drainages. 

 

Now, the same Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government, which claimed that the contractor was overpaid and that the N1.1bn increment by the PDP government was not justified, has increased the contract sum by N3bn (50 percent)!”

 

Noting that Adeyeye has all that it takes to fly the kite for the PDP and also deliver the dividend of democracy for the state, the group said “we are confident that Prince Dayo Adeyeye will fly the PDP flag in the 2014 governorship election. It is an assurance that we have because he has the name, pedigree, credibility and records of performance in public office that no one can question.

 

“Most importantly, every lover of the PDP both in and outside Ekiti State is of the opinion that whoever will fly the PDP flag in 2014 must be someone, who is not burdened by any negativity that will become a campaign issue during the election.

Today, Prince Dayo Adeyeye is among the few governorship aspirants in the PDP in Ekiti State that do not have any burden of negative credentials to carry on their shoulders.”

 

Aside from the credibility of the candidate, it is the general consensus that the Southern Senatorial District of the State, which has never produced the State governor since 1999 must produce the next governor of the State, and, according to them, “this is not negotiable.”