Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has yet to resolve its crisis as it holds its governorship primary on Jan 27
From the look of things, the governorship primary of the governing All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State to elect its flagbearer billed for January 27 will be keen especially looking at the calibre of the eight aspirants jostling for the ticket.
The aspirants include the National Assembly member, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; former Minister of Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye; House of Representatives member, Femi Bamisile; and former Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Biodun Oyebanji.
Others are former House of Representatives member, Bamidele Faparusi; former governorship aspirant, Kayode Ojo; aviation expert, Demola Popoola; and Olusola Afolabi.
The aspirants appear to have put in lots of effort, especially as many believe that clinching the party’s ticket is synonymous with winning the June 18 governorship election allegedly due to the party’s popularity.
However, a week to the primary, the governing party has unresolved issues which include allegations of imposition, the agenda for south governorship aspiration and polarisation cum litigation over the party congresses.
Although the campaigns by the aspirants have been devoid of character assassination and attacks on other contenders, some of the aspirants and their supporters do not shy away from calling for free and fair exercise without which they said there would be problem for the party.
This, however, is based on the rumour that the governor and party leadership have endorsed a particular aspirant, although the assertion has been denied variously by the governor and the Ekiti APC.
It is also for this reason that some of the aspirants are calling for direct primaries so that party members can participate freely as against indirect whereby delegates, many of whom the government and party leaders might have allegedly bought over, would not determine their future.
Already, some APC chieftains, including former presidential aspirant, Chief Reuben Famuyibo, who had earlier indicated interest to contest in the governorship, dumped the party to pitch their tent with Accord barely a week to the primary.
Famuyibo accused the APC leadership of not providing a level playing field for all aspirants, saying such necessitated the call by his admirers and supporters to pursue his aspiration on another platform.
He said, “The processes leading to the APC primary have been skewed in favour of the alleged anointed aspirant of the governor. It will be unwise to go ahead with that situation looking at our plans for the state”.
The agitation of the people of Ekiti South Senatorial District that governor should come from the zone, which has not produced governor since creation in 1996, is another issue which the party has maintained silence on.
All the three aspirants from the South, Adeyeye, Bamisile and Faparusi and as well their supporters subscribe to the agitation.
Another, which is germane, is the issue of division in the party, which appears unresolved few days to the primary. It began with Stakeholders Forum which started as protest against the manner the immediate past executives of the party in the state emerged and consequent litigation.
