Ekiti LG Polls: Gov Oyebanji Accused Of Picking Winners For APC Primaries Ahead Of Election

The Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, has been accused of making a list of ‘winners ‘ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government primaries polls even before the election.

Naija News gathered that a document allegedly signed by the governor’s Adviser, political and inter-party affairs, Jide Awe, and State party Chairman, Barrister Paul Omotoso, has emerged, and in it is a list of winners of the yet-to-be-held election.

The APC has slated its primary election for the local government election on October 4, and the main local government elections are to be held in December 2023.

However, the emerged document already has a list of winners from the yet-to-be-held October 4 primary polls of the party.

The reportedly leaked document sighted by SaharaReporters contains the names of proposed party candidates and their running mates ahead of the October 4 APC party local councils primary election before the actual conduct.

A statement issued by a coalition of Civil Society Groups in Ekiti State under the aegis of Alliance for Equity and Justice Initiative raised the alarm that the governor’s alleged move has possibilities to eradicate free and fair elections in the party.

The document jointly signed by the coalition’s coordinator, Kayode Oluwafemi, and its secretary, Kingsley Wale, alleged that Oyebanji wants to impose stooges to maintain the APC’s stronghold.

The statement partly reads, “Our attention has been drawn to an ongoing vicious and unpleasant political game plan being surreptitiously orchestrated by the executive Governor of the State, his Excellency, Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji, along with his cohorts both within and outside of the party, with a view to maintaining a stranglehold on the party in the State as well as undermining the power and person of the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, his Excellency Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

“The Alliance for Equity and Justice is presently in custody of documents obtained through very reliable sources, detailing attempts by the Governor to undermine the upcoming primaries for the Ekiti State local Government elections, scheduled for December 2023.

“The documents indicate that some names have already been pencilled down by the Governor as winners of a primary election that is yet to be conducted. The development raises serious concern to every peace-loving citizen of Ekiti State and calls to question the Governor’s desire to conduct a free, fair, and transparent primaries even within his own political party.

“To put the records straight and disabuse the minds of some persons who may wish to see our noble effort at creating an atmosphere for a peaceful and transparent primaries as meddlesome, we have attached herewith some very vital documents which shows that indeed, the upcoming party primaries will be anything but transparent except necessary measures are taken immediately to reverse the situation.

“It is rather very sad and unfortunate, that the Governor, who rode on the back of the good will, unflinching support, reputation, and sterling performance of the former Governor, Dr. Fayemi, to ascend to power, has now turned round with the likes of Chief Ayo Fayose, who himself was a former Governor of the State and a political turncoat, to try to undermine Dr. Fayemi for reasons of political expediency.

“We recommend that the Governor and his team retraced their steps and take immediate and decisive measures to ensure a transparent, free, credible, and all-inclusive primary election conducted within the ambit of the party’s laws and regulations and in total compliance with Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC ) and party guideline and Electoral laws of the state.

“That attempts by a section of the party hierarchy in the State, spearheaded by the Governor, to emasculate and rubbish the upcoming primaries be immediately his countenance.”

However, all efforts to reach out to Oyebanji’s spokesperson, Yinka Oyebode, to react to the issue proved abortive as he didn’t pick up his calls and didn’t reply to his messages.

Meanwhile, this platform reported that Oyebanji warned candidates contesting for the state’s Local Government Election slated for December not to put him under any pressure whatsoever.

The governor pledged not to impose any candidate on the people at the local government because he is a person of the process; therefore, none of the candidates contesting in the election should try to lobby him for any possible imposition.

Oyebanji warned at a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Ekiti North Senatorial District in Ido Ekiti. Present at the meeting were stakeholders from Ido/Osi, Moba, Ilejemeje, Ikole, and Oye council areas.