Ekiti Politics And Emergence Of Third Force

By Ayodele Oni

Permutations and negotiations have continued to trail the outcome of the Governorship primaries of the two leading political parties in Ekiti state, People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) and All Progressive Congress, (APC).

While losers in the primary election are re-strategizing on the next line of action, the candidates are set to go into full blown campaign, preparatory to the June election.

There is, however, a twist in the arrangement as some of the losers are now set to constitute themselves into a third force.

Dr Oluwole Oluyide, a candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) is one of those in this category. In his company is the former Governor of the State, Chief Segun Oni, who lost the PDP contest to another ex-Governor’s favourite, Bisi Kolawole.

Oni is set to pick the flag of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) banking on the strength of his supporters in the State.

From the history of politics in Ekiti, the struggle has always been between the PDP and APC. From Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Ayodele Fayose, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi, it has been a change of baton between the two main political parties.

Oni, who is now the architect of the third force, became Governor on the ticket of the PDP. There is the belief among political watchers in the State that the emergence of a third force in the politics of the State is an indication that the people are tired of the imposition of Governors on them.

Fayemi is the god father of APC’s candidate, Biodun Oyebanji while PDP’s candidate, Bisi Kolawole is an annoited son of Fayose. The victory of any of them during the June poll is seen as a third term for their sponsors.

Mr Femi Awojobi, a political analyst said the birth of a third force is redefining democracy in Ekiti state

According to him, “the recent primary elections to pick the candidates of both APC and PDP in Ekiti State, where the parochia attitudes of few had dubiously overpowered the general interests of the majority of the People has made it axiomatic clear that, the generally accepted definition of Democracy has been redefined in Ekiti from what it used to be to the Government of the few by the few and for the few.

“The shadow of the new definition is, however, the nemesis that has been chasing the Oshokomole dynasty in PDP and the Tokan-Tokan cabals of Fayemi in APC.

“The inability of Fayemi and Fayose to form an all-inclusive Government in the past and now within their parties has resulted to a shameful desperation to install their stooges at all cost as the flagbearers of their parties and even at the expense of the general interests of the majority of their party members.

“It is now an open secret that, Fayemi and Fayose undemocratic actions before and during the recent primary elections will give birth to a third Force that may be too hard to contend with by both APC and PDP in Ekiti State.

“The volume of the aggrieved members from both APC and PDP who are now planning to move into the already ripe pregnancy which is about to be delivered of a new political party in Ekiti State will no doubt be a political tsunami tide wave that will consume many self-centred, egocentric, greedy politicians and their cohorts to oblivion.

“What had tranpired at the just concluded primary elections of both APC and PDP in Ekit State was nothing but a reckless abuse of power and unreasonable insulting of the sensibility of other aspirants, especially those who control the larger, if not largest followers within the parties and Ekiti State in general, in order to impose unpopular but annointed aspirants, whose their god-fathers believe will do their wishes against the wishes of the people of the State when elected.”

Mr Jackson Adebayo, spokesman for the Segun Oni Campaign Group also believes that the emergence of his boss on another political platform has been causing sleepless nights to Fayemi and Fayose.

He said that Oni has the largest followers of electorate in the state as he used his first term as Governor to touch their lives and they are still waiting to return him to the number one seat.

Some of the losers of the APC primaries still believe that the National leadership of the party still has the opportunity to right the wrong that took place during the Primary election by annulling the outcome.

The winner of the Primary, Oyebanji, is yet to receive a Certificate of Return, almost, 15 days after the exercise was conducted and the delay is giving those opposed to his victory confidence that anything can still happen.

However, unless the losers come together to support one of them, instead of each going to a different Political Party and, thus, divide the votes, victory, not a few people think, will still go to either the APC or the PDP.