Ekiti State : Neither About Fayemi Nor Oni
The Oasis Reporters
April 7, 2018
By Olufemi Alonge ( Alonso)
Let me start this piece by praying for the people who lost their beloved ones during the 2007 gubernatorial election and the 2009 re-run election in Ekiti State.
May God continue to console them.
Also, those who are still battling with the injuries they sustained during those elections, especially the man from Ido-Ekiti whose leg was amputated, may God heal their wounds.
The two key players then were Engr. Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Engr. Oni was the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) while Dr. Fayemi was the flag bearer of the Action Congress (AC).
Oni was not the original winner of the PDP primaries. He came 3rd but because he was destined to be a governor at that time; he was favoured as President Olusegun Obasanjo made him his preferred candidate and imposed him on Ekiti people.
He (Oni) won the general election, but his opponent (Fayemi) didn’t concur with the results of the election for he filed a case against him at the Election Petition Tribunal and when judgement was delivered; the court ordered for a re-run election, because “Red Biro” was used by INEC officials to sign the results. The judgement was tagged “nonsense” by PDP members because the same red biro was used for similar election in Lagos same year and the court affirmed the election. Our opinion was meaningless, the court had her way.
Again, Oni won the re-run election but Fayemi disagreed the same way he did in 2007. He approached the court again until the Court of Appeal in Ilorin headed by Justice Ayo Salami ruled that Oni should vacate the seat for Fayemi on Oct. 15, 2010.
Fayemi was sworn-in as governor and became the 3rd indigenous governor who governed the state for four consecutive years. He didn’t face any form of electoral or judicial war which his predecessor faced, but he was defeated in his bid to run for 2nd term by another former governor, Ayodele Fayose who defeated and succeeded the first Executive Governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo in 2003.
Oni was with the PDP until 2014 when he dumped the party to pitch his tent with Fayemi in the All Progressive Party, APC. It is disgusting that same persons who some people lost their lives and properties for are still the same major contenders in the APC.
As it is now, one of the two may fly the flag of the party and if the game continues this way in Ekiti, I wonder when it will be the turn of those defending and promoting them in the media to carry the mantle of leadership.
Ekiti State needs a capable hand to govern the state and not necessarily a former governor. And so far the main opposition party in the state is a party that believes in recycling, PDP appears set to present a vibrant, articulate and professional builder who has the needed experience to take the state to the promised land.
Join us today to support the most educated aspirant in Ekiti, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka. He is imbued with fresh ideas. He will do us proud.
Written by Alonge Olufemi Alonso.
He writes from Ado Ekiti, South West Nigeria.
