By Ayodele Oni
Politicians from South Senatorial District of Ekiti State have continued to intensify effort to ensure that the successor of the incumbent Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi comes from the zone.
Apart from regular dialogue and consultations, political leaders from the zone have commenced moves to streamline the number of Governorship aspirants from the leading two parties, PDP and APC.
Investigations reveal that some notable political office holders from the zone, in the present administration have started to tender their letters of resignation.
First to quit Dr Fayemi’s Government is Prof Bolaji Aluko, a Director General in one of the agencies, who said he was not comfortable with unconfirmed report that the Governor has reneged in his earlier promise to support a candidate from the zone as his successor.
There has not been any official confirmation that Dr Fayemi is backing any of the aspirants, but political watchers in the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) in the State are insisting that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji that resigned his appointment last week, is the annoited candidate of Dr Fayemi.
Their position is further reinforced by the manner he has been going around in the State with Government officials and political office holders on his trail.
Biodun Oyebanji, who had earlier served during the administration of Otunba Niyi Adebayo, is from the Central Senatorial District district of the State.
Presently, of all the seven aspirants from the APC, that have picked nomination forms, only three of them are from the South. They are Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who was sacked by the Court of Appeal as a Senator, Makinde Araoye and Femi Bamisile, member, House of Representatives.
The Ekiti South Development Agenda, a group committed to the emergence of a Governor from the zone, has advised the National leadership of the APC to warn its State Governors to desist from imposition of candidates forthwith.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade ldowu Afuye went down memory lane by saying that Senator lbikunle Amosun, adopted Akinlade and they both failed, the former govenor of lmo state Okorocha, adopted Uche Nwosu, they failed, Late Gov Abiola Ajumobi adopted Adelabu, it led to defeat, former Governor Adams Oshiomole, out of party principle and supremacy enforced Eze lyamu, it led to the defeat of the party, same in Zamfara.
The group said history remains the best teacher, and thus, the national leadership of the party should salvage the Ekiti state situation as what is happening at the moment, if not checked will spell doom for the party.
The Group lauded some of the politicians serving in Dr Fayemi’s Government for resigning in protest against subtle imposition of a candidate by the Governor.
The coordinator, in a statement said: “The Ekiti South Development Agenda commends Prof Mobolaji Aluko, a serving D.G in the present Dr Kayode Fayemi Government for standing against insinuations and statement circulating around that there are no qualified people from Ekiti south that can rule the state.”
Prof Aluko was quoted as saying that; “What I don’t know is if the Governor of the State is the party, l don’t have any problem with the Governor, l work with the Government but there must be a forum concerned with picking the candidate not a personal decision.
“The Ekiti South Development Agenda and the Ekiti South people are more resolute than ever on their quest to occupy the Oke Ayoba government house.”
The group members went a step further early this week when they prevented the former SSG’s entourage from addressing APC supporters at Ilawe Ekiti, a Southern town, a situation that almost led to violent clash.
Aspirants from other zones of North and Central are however accusing the people of the South of being selfish in their demand since they have been showing interest in the Governorship since the creation of the State.
Former Governor Segun Oni, an aspirant from the North, seeking the mandate to complete his second term, stated that all interested aspirants from whichever zone are free to take a shot at the Governorship and that it will rather be abnormal if only candidates from the South are allowed to contest.
