R-L: Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, leaving the venue of the eight-day prayer for Alhaja Saratu, the mother of Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, by helicopter in Ilesa…on Tuesday.

Oni:

By Wale Adedayo

The long line up of gubernatorial aspirants seeking the ticket of Ekiti State APC in Saturday’s primary is not good enough. It is either there is a leadership vacuum or the leaders continue to deceive their followers about perceived support.

Yes, delegates will vote. But once the leaders decide the pendulum should swing in a particular direction, the number of aspirants will reduce, considerably. Son of man is also not persuaded that the old Abuja Vs Lagos divide remains. It is a mirage for the undiscerning.

The multiplicity of aspirants could work against the party towards the election proper. Egos would have been bruised. Paper weight aspirants angling for appointments in Abuja as compensation for running could pollute the waters of party unity, giving way for the ruling party to gain the upper hand.

Engr. Segun Oni is a quality hand. But he lacks the charisma needed to charm voters like an Ayo Fayose. Dr. Kayode Fayemi is in the same league with Oni. His poor bonding with the people caused him re-election despite his sterling qualities. Senator Babafemi Ojudu may not eat Ponmo by the roadside. But from the little son of man knows about him, he easily bonds with the lowly along with a capacity to charm.

Whoever emerges as APC flagbearer on Saturday has loads of work to do. Oni should be able to bank on his performance in office. Despite Fayemi’s loss of re-election, he has more than enough on ground to prove that he performed while in office. Ojudu relates excellently with the youth, and has serial testimonies about many he has assisted to climb the ladder of life.

But the outgoing Governor, Olori Awon Ipata of Yorubaland, Fayose, remains the ‘candidate’ to beat, despite being ineligible for re-election. Thus far, he is the one campaigning.

The APC candidate may want to push opinion in Ekiti to the effect that the actual candidate should roll out, instead of Fayose, who will not be there if PDP wins.

Son of man was involved with Fayemi’s first outing. Yinka Odumakin played a quality role in that small intervention. But the re-election get as e be, thus we stayed out at the last minute.

This Ijebu man will not be directly involved in the coming one. Our prayer is that the best hand, who will take Ekiti State to greater heights will be picked as APC gubernatorial candidate on Saturday.