The aspirants

Attention will be on Oluyemi stadium, Ado Ekiti tomorrow, Saturday, 5 May 2018 when All Progressives Congress Aspirants will slug it out for a flag bearer to emerge. Below are the aspirants as reported by The Nation.

Aspirants:
 Dr. Kayode Fayemi:
He is the immediate past governor and currently the Minister of Mines and Steel Development. He installed the party structures at  ward, local government, senatorial  and  state levels. But, Fayemi’s ambition is facing serious opposition within and outside the party. Some party members believe that his ambition is capable of dividing the party. The Fayose administration is determined to stop him by all means and the White Paper of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, which indicted him of alleged fraud is putting a question mark on his ambition. He is from Isan in Ekiti North senatorial district.

 
Chief Segun Oni:
Oni is a strong contender for the APC ticket and he has run a robust campaign. He is the immediate past Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party. He is the Chairman of the Board of Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Oni is popular among civil servants, pensioners and youths. He is perceived as a selfless statesman who backed Fayemi in the 2014 election despite the circumstances surrounding his removal from office. But, his supporters are still perceived as “PDP decampees.” He is from Ifaki in North senatorial district.
 
Senator Gbenga Aluko:
Aluko has a rich political experience. He is the son of the revered economist, the late Prof Sam Aluko, one of the intellectual think-tank of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He served as a Senator between 1999 and 2003. He was the Deputy Chief Whip. His campaign team is very organised and he has a deep pocket. Critics say Aluko is not a consistent politician. he has traversed the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), PDP, Labour Party (LP) and he is now in APC. He is from Ode-Ekiti in South senatorial district.
 
Femi Bamisile:
Bamisile is the former Speaker of House of Assembly. He was the first aspirant to declare his ambition.  Bamisile took the fight to Fayose by opening a campaign office directly beside the PDP secretariat He is from Kota-Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District.
 
Dr. Wole Oluyede:
Oluyede is a successful medical doctor. He was endorsed by an elite group in his hometown, the Ikere Development Forum (IDF), led by the legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun, as the town’s consensus candidate. His critics believe that he came late into the race. He is from Ikere in South senatorial district.
 
Senator Babafemi Ojudu:
He is a vocal, bold and visible politician who has successfully transformed from an activist, rights campaigner, and journalist to a politician. Ojudu is the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters. He represented Ekiti Central in the Senate betweeen 2011 and 2015. He is from Ado-Ekiti, which has over 180,000 registered voters, the highest in the state
 
Bimbo Daramola:
Daramola was one of the most vocal members of the seventh House of Representatives and he has a grassroots appeal. He has executed many people-oriented projects in his constituency. Daramola has been very loyal to the party and he is eternally remembered for his “shoot me” bravado in the heat of the 2009 governorship rerun when he dared soldiers and mobile policemen to shoot him while protesting the outcome of the poll.
He was Director-General of the Fayemi Campaign in 2014. He has been sponsoring thousands of JAMB candidates.  outside power. He  the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives. There are many aspirants from Oye, his local government area, and this may affect his quest for votes from delegates.
 
Opeyemi Bamidele:
Bamidele was a member of the House of Representatives representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency. He hails from Iyin in Ekiti Central District.
 
Bamidele Faparusi:
He is a former member of House of Representatives representing  Gbonyin/Emure/Ekiti East Constituency. Observers believe that his ambition may be affected by the fact that he and Aluko hails from the same town, a fact that may diminish his support base. He is from Ode in Ekiti South District.
 
Senator Ayo Arise:
Arise was in the sixth Senate. He represented Ekiti North. He was  the Chairman of Committee on Privatisation. Arise is a philanthropist and a grassroots politician who should not be overlooked. He crossed over from PDP to APC last year. He is from Oye Local government, which parades many aspirants. He is believed to have joined the race late.
 
Dr. Oluwole Oluleye:
Oluleye is the son of forme Finance Minister in the Obasanjo military regime, the late Maj.-Gen. James Oluleye. He is a former Executive Secretary of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) during which he facilitated employment of many Ekiti indigenes.
 
Dr. Adebayo Orire:
The medical practitioner is a party elder and a grassroots politician.  Orire is canvassing for a home based governor who understands the people and he believes he fits the bill. His major challenge is that he may be outmuscled by richer aspirants. But,  he believes his integrity is more important than money. He also has a kinsman, Kayode Ojo, in the race and this may deplete his votes. Orire is from Ikoro in Ekiti Central District
 
Kola Alabi
Alabi is a rich Information Technology investor with a company that employs large number of Ekiti indigenes in Lagos and other parts of the world. He is a renowned philanthropist in his native Ikere and popular among the youths. His critics are of the view that he is an aspirant for the future and the high number of aspirants from his hometown is a knotty issue for him.
Other aspirants are Dr. Bayo Orire, Kayode Ojo, Muyiwa Olumilua, Victor Kolade,  Mr. Debo Ranti Ajayi:  Chief Dele Okeya,
Chief Diran Adesua, Chief Sesan Fatoba, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, Olumuyiwa Coker, Deacon Adekunle Esan, Mr. Victor Kolade, Mr. Dipo Ogunkoyode, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, Captain Sunday Adebomi,  and Chief Bisi Aloba.