Ekiti 2018: Unhealthy rivalry among APC aspirants, By Ehichioya Ezomon

By Ehichioya Ezomon

The main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC had 47 out of 63 aspirants (as of Friday, April 13) vying to be candidates of political parties in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti. By mid last week, 24 of this number had obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms.

This shows there’s more interest and enthusiasm in the APC. It attests to the openness, and a level-playing ground guaranteed by the leadership of the party, both in Abuja and Ado-Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti, to advance internal democracy.

This is contrary to what obtains in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, where one of the few applicants has been technically anointed as “the candidate” by Governor Ayodele Fayose. That “unilateral” nomination of his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, has caused fissures in Ekiti PDP, leading to recent defection of some chieftains to the burgeoning Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The large number of hopefuls in the APC also indicates that virtually all 16 local governments in Ekiti are represented in the scramble to spread the governorship slot, and the “sharing from the national cake” by all sections of the state. Hence, other things held constant, it places the party in good stead to win at the July poll.

But in the heat of campaigns, and as the number of aspirants swelled, the electorate, especially members of the APC, began to hear mixed messages: the desire to send packing the PDP government of Governor Fayose, and at the same time shut out some contestants, who had ruled Ekiti but still have the right to another term of office, as endorsed by the APC constitution and the amended 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

For instance, while declaring his interest in the governorship race at a rally in Ado-Ekiti, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu, trained his focus on removing the incumbent government in the state.

His words: “Today, I declare my desire to be the next governor of our state. Today, I ask you to join me in bringing sense back to our government house. Today, I ask you to join me in bringing better jobs to the state. I call on you, indigenes and residents, to join me aboard our train of progress.

“If you want a better life for your children, join us and let us make our state a pacesetter state. I know that the journey cannot be easy because we will have to climb mountains but our work will not be in vain. It’s time to vote out corrupt leadership in the state; it’s time to say bye bye to (Governor) Fayose and his useless government.”

Yet, on the day Ojudu obtained his nomination and expression of interest forms, he turned on his APC co-contestants, as follows: “Over the years, scammers and gangsters have governed us and (this) has led us to where we are today… Since 1999, I have been fighting to correct that (the) wrongs in my state. But I have come to see that the elements that have come to be in charge of the state have not done what they are supposed to do and have not carried on with the dream of the founding fathers.”

It’s an undisguised dig at former Governors Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi – all APC stalwarts. Chief Oni and Dr. Fayemi (Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development) are vying to return to power, and will join in the May 5 primaries of the party.

Counsel! Instead of criticizing, and denigrating their co-contestants, aspirants should tell the electorate what they have on the table for them post-July 14. Most importantly, they should remember that the APC has the Ekiti PDP and the government it controls as their target. So, their eyes should always be on that ball!

The aspirants need to heed Dr. Fayemi’s entreaties. While urging the State Working Committee “to set out a code of ethics to regulate the conducts of every contestant,” he said: “It is absolutely unacceptable for aspirants to indulge in abuses, (and) use intemperate language against one another. If we do this, we will be damaging the brand the APC is known for.

“Each contestant should sell his brand to the party delegates, who will decide our fates. We should be ready to support whoever the party picks as the candidate, provided the process is free, fair and transparent… I will see whoever fights after the primary as a mole, who was sent to destroy our party.”

Certainly, you can’t get past that possibility, considering the number of aspirants, some, as if “sponsored,” are ready to go to the gutter to smear their competitors. But the antidote to implosion of the Ekiti APC is a free, fair and credible primary election, such as promised by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, during his visit to Ado-Ekiki, to flag-off a membership drive nationwide.

Addressing headlong the “rumours” that the hierarchy of the APC had “anointed” a candidate, Odigie-Oyegun said: “I want to assure you that in Ekiti State, we will have free, fair and credible primary. We will provide security at the primary. It will be an open event and will be covered and recorded on television from the beginning to the end.

“There will be proper identification of delegates to prevent impersonation. Anybody found impersonating will be handed over to the police. A formidable group of (APC) governors will be mobilized to superintend, guide and ensure that the election is totally free and fair.”

Well, walking the talk of this avowal would eschew rancour and bad blood after the primaries, and encourage the contestants (including the candidate) to pool their resources: campaigns, finances, supporters and mobilization for the APC victory at the election. Deviate from this path and the actual “bye bye” would be to the APC!

* Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.