Ekiti Decides: Why It Won’t Be Easy For Gov. Fayemi To Produce A Successor From This Election

The table has now been set for the people of Ekiti state to elect a new governor that will pilot the affairs of the state for another four years.

As it stands, attentions are centered around the state on what will happen on Saturday and how the Independent National Electoral Commission will prove its mettle and convince Nigerians that their votes will count in the 2023 presidential election.

However, one major thing that seems to be dominating the centre of discussion among the political analysts is the chances of the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to produce his successor from the election scheduled for Saturday.

Majorly, there are two major factors that will affect the governor and his candidate from emerging victorious on Saturday.

The first reason is the political history of the state. Since the return of democracy in 1999, Ekiti has never been ruled by one Governor or political party for an two terms in a row.

Otunba Niyi Adebayo was the first governor of the state from the Alliance for Democracy. After four years, he lost to Dr. Ayo Fayose of the PDP in 2003.

When Fayose completed his first term and got re-elected for second term, he was impeached after one year by the state house of assembly.

In the 2007 general election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi contested under the Action Congress, AC and lost to Engr. Segun Oni of the PDP. He later challenged the outcome of the election and eventually won after a protracted legal tussle at the Supereme court.

He was sworn-in in 2010 after Oni had spent close to three years in office. The decision was what brought about the staggered election being witnessed today in Ekiti state.

In 2014, Dr. Fayemi contested for his second term but lost to Ayo Fayose who later came back and ran under the PDP for his second term.

After Fayose’s tenure, he tried to install his deputy, Professor Olusola Eleka as his successor but lost to Fayemi who also came back to recontest for his second term after four years of Fayose’s tenure.

Fayemi won and by October this year he will complete his second term and handover to another governor. 

Looking at the trend of politics in Ekiti state, no governor or political party has ever ruled the state for a straight eight years without interruption. Things might likely follow the same trend this time around.

The second reason is the choice of APC candidate for the election compared to others.

APC is running with Biodun Oyebanji, the former Secretary to the State Government, SSG. Considering his political tentacles in the state, Oyebanji does not seem to have what it takes to withstand Bisi Kolawole of PDP and Engr Segun Oni of SDP.

These two names are household names in the politics of Ekiti state and they have the grassroot network.

For instance, Bisi Kolawole had been on ground since 2007 serving in various political capacities in the state. He was member of the state house of assembly, former commissioner and immediate past state chairman of PDP. Kolawole is a rousing grassroot mobilizer whose political signature is everywhere in the state.

In the same vein, Segun Oni, a former governor and seasoned politician in the state is not a push over in the scheme of Ekiti Politics. After he lost the APC Primary to Fayemi’s annointed Candidate, he has vowed to trauncate the governor’s move to produce a successor.

All these will definitely count against Fayemi from producing his successor from the election on Saturday.