A mild campaign drama is playing out in Ekiti State as the State’s
Governorship elections draws ever so close. Residents of the State woke
up early Wednesday to see posters of former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo
Fayose, flooding major streets across the State.
Fayose belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In what political observers have described as an attempt to get back at his party, the campaign posters fully endorse Kayode Fayemi, incumbent Governor of the State and member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ayodele Fayose leads the factional PDP in the State. Earlier in the year, he had organized thugs and hoodlums to beat the living daylights out of leaders of his party including former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Obafemi Bamisile. This act would earn him a suspension from the party at the State level. Boasting connections in high places, Fayose’s suspension was overturn by the PDP at national level led by willy nilly PDP chairman, Bamanga Tukur, who got the nod from President Jonathan as well to play nice with Fayose and keep him in the family.
With his eyes firmly on another shot at the Governorship of the State after a previous controversial stint, Fayose was able to make the PDP shortlist of candidates in the State with primary elections to decide the party flagbearer, in the offing. Other PDP shortlisted candidates are Caleb Olubolade (Ipoti, Ijero Central) and Dayo Adeyeye (Ise, Ekiti South). Ayodele Fayose hails from Ekiti Central. Sources have however informed Ekekeee that the PDP in Ekiti may deploy the consensus arrangement to ease Fayose out of the picture since he is not in the good books of the party at State level; a possible scenario which has led him to declare his support for opposition backed present Governor, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, for a second term.
The Fayose posters now seen in most nooks and crannies in the State are inscribed with the words: “I stand for truth and good governance…vote Fayemi”.
Ekiti returns to the ballot to elect a new Governor in 2014.
A firebrand grassroot politician, Fayose is often at home with ‘Okada riders’, ‘market men and women’, ‘bus conductors’, thugs and most of the proletariat in the State. His latest strategy may have been implemented to prove to the State chapter of his party that he still commands considerable followership on the streets–where it matters in the end. By openly endorsing a candidate from the fold of the opposition, Fayose is risking another falling out with his party.
Not that the ‘enfant terrible’ of Ekiti politics who is a friend of hoodlums, would care very much.
This report was filed by citizen Reporter, Maxwell Adegbenro (@MaxAdegbenro), from Ado-Ekiti.
Fayose belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In what political observers have described as an attempt to get back at his party, the campaign posters fully endorse Kayode Fayemi, incumbent Governor of the State and member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ayodele Fayose leads the factional PDP in the State. Earlier in the year, he had organized thugs and hoodlums to beat the living daylights out of leaders of his party including former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Obafemi Bamisile. This act would earn him a suspension from the party at the State level. Boasting connections in high places, Fayose’s suspension was overturn by the PDP at national level led by willy nilly PDP chairman, Bamanga Tukur, who got the nod from President Jonathan as well to play nice with Fayose and keep him in the family.
With his eyes firmly on another shot at the Governorship of the State after a previous controversial stint, Fayose was able to make the PDP shortlist of candidates in the State with primary elections to decide the party flagbearer, in the offing. Other PDP shortlisted candidates are Caleb Olubolade (Ipoti, Ijero Central) and Dayo Adeyeye (Ise, Ekiti South). Ayodele Fayose hails from Ekiti Central. Sources have however informed Ekekeee that the PDP in Ekiti may deploy the consensus arrangement to ease Fayose out of the picture since he is not in the good books of the party at State level; a possible scenario which has led him to declare his support for opposition backed present Governor, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, for a second term.
The Fayose posters now seen in most nooks and crannies in the State are inscribed with the words: “I stand for truth and good governance…vote Fayemi”.
A firebrand grassroot politician, Fayose is often at home with ‘Okada riders’, ‘market men and women’, ‘bus conductors’, thugs and most of the proletariat in the State. His latest strategy may have been implemented to prove to the State chapter of his party that he still commands considerable followership on the streets–where it matters in the end. By openly endorsing a candidate from the fold of the opposition, Fayose is risking another falling out with his party.
Not that the ‘enfant terrible’ of Ekiti politics who is a friend of hoodlums, would care very much.
This report was filed by citizen Reporter, Maxwell Adegbenro (@MaxAdegbenro), from Ado-Ekiti.
0 comments:
Post a Comment