Ekiti Guber: Group moves against Gov Fayemi over risky secret deal with Fayose

▪︎ Petitions APC Caretaker chairman, Buni

A group, which styles itself APC Unity Group, Ekiti State, has submitted a petition to the Chairman Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

The crux of the petition is what the group perceived as a risky secret deal allegedly reached by the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi with former Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Both men are working in cahoots to foist their anointed candidates on their respective parties.

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Interestingly, their plan is to support unpopular candidates to emerge in their respective party’s primary elections.

While Fayemi’s choice candidate for the APC ticket is not very popular, Fayose has allegedly struck a deal with Fayemi to ensure the emergence of an unpopular candidate in the PDP that will be easy game for the APC candidate.

The fear of the APC group in its petition submitted to Buni’s office on December 30, 2021, is that the deal may go awry if the PDP holds its ground against Fayose to ensure the best and the most popular aspirant emerges as the PDP’s standard bearer for the June 2022 governorship poll.

Read below the full text of the petition signed on behalf of the APC Integrity Group by Idowu Daramola (Ward 8, Igede Ekiti) and Boluwatife Shittu (Ward 3, Ado-Ekiti), entitled: “Ekiti 2022: The plot to impose an unpopular governorship candidate will lead to our defeat”:

“We trust this communication meets you well as we hope for a better 2022 for our country and party. May God continue to strengthen and guide your leadership to conduct a successful convention in 2022.

“The troubling developments in our party in Ekiti should be an immediate concern to you because of the importance of the governorship election next year. This calls for your immediate and urgent intervention.

“It is no longer hidden that His Excellency, Dr Kayode Fayemi, our APC Governor in Ekiti, is doing everything to manipulate the internal workings of our party to favour the emergence of his anointed person as the governorship candidate.

“We fear that the lack of level playing ground for all the aspirants may spell doom for our party, considering the concern among the majority of party members that his chosen person is unpopular within the APC in Ekiti State.

“We are not unaware that Fayemi is also relying on a secondary strategy to help his handpicked choice to win the main governorship election in June 2022. But the risk behind this school-boy strategy is quite enormous and capable of jeopardising our chances of winning.

“This is a party that boasts of popular aspirants like Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Hon. Femi Bamisile, Chief Dayo Adeyeye and a few others. They are capable of holding grounds against any PDP candidate.

“While our Governor is aware that his chosen aspirant is politically weak and may not have the gravitas to substantially impress the people in the main election, he is, however, banking on a backend deal (long-sealed) with former Governor Ayo Fayose for a suicidal compromise.

“The plan is for Fayose (a man who can do anything for money) to secure the PDP ticket through a weak, controllable and pliable candidate to complete the trade-off. It is a shameful plot of “supply meets demand”- Fayemi is interested in a successor, while Fayose is interested in the money and the state leadership of the PDP unchallenged.

“That is why Fayose has refused to continue with Kolapo Eleka, his 2018 governorship candidate of the PDP and will not support any of the more popular persons who paid N2 million for expression of interest in the Oshoko Political Assembly (owned by Fayose). He went for Bisi Kolawole, the immediate past party chairman who showed no interest in running in the camp. APC is too big and solid in Ekiti to be relying on this kind of shaky arrangement.

“While we are unconcerned about the monthly stipends of N10m Fayemi is giving to Fayose (an open secret) to oil the process leading to the main deal said to be worth hundreds of millions, we, however, consider it necessary to warn the party to be wary of this arrangement.

“From what we have seen, even if Fayemi succeeds in imposing his lackey on our party, the unfolding developments in the PDP indicate that it may be difficult for Fayose to pocket his party ticket. The reawakening in the PDP is real and the sheer determination of its new leadership in Abuja to win Ekiti cannot be taken for granted.

“If the PDP can pick a better and more popular candidate, it would be extremely difficult for our party to win and the election could just be a walkover for the opposition. These are our fears.

“May be unknown to Governor Fayemi, his administration has dipped in popularity, and may no longer have that commanding political influence in the state. We saw how Governor Willie Obiano worked for a popular APGA candidate to win. He didn’t worry that Professor Charles Soludo was his boss in the banking sector some years back. Who says the PDP may not be thinking in that direction?

“Our Requests

“1. We want your leadership to conduct Direct Primaries in Ekiti State to give our party the opportunity of presenting a popular choice.

“2. We urge the party to tell Governor Kayode Fayemi to allow a level playing field so that all aspirants can have a sense of belonging.

“3. Kindly investigate our concern timeously.

“The party must act now!
Thank you. Happy 2022.”