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Tag: Ekiti 2018

  • Ekiti 2018: Oni refutes defection rumours, says ‘I didn’t meet Fayose, Makarfi’

    Former governor of Ekiti State and Deputy National Chairman (South) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) , Chief Olusegun Oni, has denied plans of possible defection to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to actualise his governorship ambition.

    The APC leader also denied meeting with incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose and national chairman of the PDP, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi.

    He also accused some people of attempting to pull him down.

    The former governor said the alleged attacks on him were only making him more popular.

    Oni, who said he was not desperate to become governor again, stressed that his fate and that of other aspirants jostling for APC’s ticket would be decided by delegates at the party’s primary in the first quarter of 2018.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Oni denied holding “secret” meetings with Governor Ayo Fayose at a hotel in Lagos on the possibility of defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to realise his ambition, as alleged on various posts in the social media.

    The former governor also denied holding a meeting with PDP’s National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, at his (Oni’s) home in Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.

    He urged his supporters and other people in Ekiti State not to believe the rumour and hate campaign against him by those he described as “faceless individuals” on the social media.

    Oni said he would not be distracted from selling his ideas on a better Ekiti to the electorate.

    The former governor said some people petitioned the party’s national secretariat to compel him to step down immediately as Deputy National Chairman (South), adding that APC’s constitution allows him to remain in that post one month before the primary.

    He said: “The attacks are from within the party, and most of them are coming from the social media. But I am not bothered at all because whatever that will be good will be rough initially. Some people have been given the assignment to pull me down.

    “The good will triumph over the evil. I want to say categorically that I will not be discouraged. Anybody who does not want Oni will either contest against him or support an aspirant. I am not desperate to be governor. I will leave (my post) when the (party’s) constitution says I should leave.

    “By saying I met Fayose at a hotel in Lagos and Makarfi in my house in Ifaki, these people are overpricing me. I feel honoured if they continue to say that. The last one-on-one I had with Fayose was a day after Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo was buried, when I brought the invitation from the Borisade family. I congratulated him for the honour done Baba Adebayo.

    “I have never had one-on-one with Makarfi. But if they are saying he was in my home, I feel honoured. Those saying this have nothing to sell. But I have told my people not to abuse or attack anybody. If they have the product that is sellable, they should continue to sell it.”

     

  • Ekiti 2018: Over 55 candidates jostle for Fayose’s job

    Ekiti 2018: Over 55 candidates jostle for Fayose’s job

    No fewer than 55 aspirants have declared interest in succeeding incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in the governorship election slated for 2018.

    The aspirants cut across the two major political parties in the state, which include the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    While the PDP has 15 aspirants warming up for the primaries, the remaining 40 are coming on the platform of the APC.

    According to The Sun, the PDP aspirants include incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr. Olusola Olubunmi Kolapo, ex-Deputy Governors, Sikiru Lawal, National Secretary of the Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi led Natonal Caretaker Committee of PDP, and ex-Minister of state for works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, former Deputy Governor and Senator Biodun Olujimi, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi and Abiodun Aluko, among others.

    They are said to be already seeking the support of party members and reaching out to interest groups and trade unions to get their support to clinch the party ticket ahead of 2018.

    Aspirants from the APC are made up of names such as Adebayo Oririe, Opeyemi Bamidele, Bimbo Daramola, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, Sen. Gbenga Aluko, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, Sen. Ayo Arise, Engr. Segun Oni, and Opeyemi Bamidele, among others.

    It was further gathered that each of the PDP aspirants who considered themselves as anointed candidates of governor Fayose are riding on the shoulder of the governor in order to leverage on his wide acceptance by the people to win the party ticket and eventually get the governor’s job.

    However, governor Fayose, whose tenure expires October 15, 2018, has promised to ensure that only a consensus candidate emerges at the primary of the party, adding that he would not impose any candidate on the state.

    He said, “Although, some aspirants have already indicated their interest in the race, but as a leader of the party and governor, I will support a system that would provide a consensus candidate among the aspirants.

    “This we will do by allowing a level playing ground where all aspirants would be put to a test of their popularity, acceptance and ‎influence on the people as the people would choose in a primary, the candidate they want for the election.”