Stakeholders urge political parties to pick governorship candidates from the zone
Major Stakeholders and prominent politicians from Ekiti South Senatorial District have resolved to ensure that presentation of candidates for the 2022 governorship election from the zone was a mandate for political parties participating in the poll.
The stakeholders, under the aegis of Ekiti South Agenda Forum, include associates of Senator Biodun Biodun Olujimi; former Deputy Governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola Eleka; and a former bank chief, Mr. Kayode Adaramodu among other notable politicians. They rose from a meeting at Ikere Ekiti, the senatorial headquarters with the assertion that it was time for the district to produce the governor.
Recalling that the Southern senatorial zone was yet to produce governor of the state since the return of democracy in 1999, the stakeholders said the other two zones have produced two governors apiece.
In a communiqué at the end of the meeting, the stakeholders said equity and fairness demanded that the governorship should be the turn of Ekiti South. The Forum’s Protem Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Folayan, Communique Committee Chairman, former Acting Governor, Tunji Odeyemi and the committee members – Prince Ademola Adebayo, Hon Ojo-Ade Fajana and Chief Johnson Adekunle, signed the communiqué.
The participants at the meeting, who examined why the South district had failed in its past agitation and what should be done to get its priorities right this time, resolved not to leave any stone unturned for the zone to produce the governor in 2022.
Among steps the Forum resolved to take to actualise the South governorship, according to the Communiqué Committee include, meeting Governor Kayode Fayemi and the leaderships of the parties at the state and national levels.
Other measures included extensive consultations and mobilisation with the traditional rulers, market women, students, churches, mosques, artisans and other critical stakeholders across parties among others.
The communiqué reads: “It is noted with regret that whatever circumstances must have been responsible, the citizens of South Senatorial District had not benefitted from the privilege of being elected the state governor.
“Each of the other two districts of the state has enjoyed the privilege for 12 years respectively. We wish and request that this should be redressed in the next Ekiti Governorship Election in 2022.
“Ekiti South Agenda leadership and people humbly appeal to individuals and/or groups so far misinformed about imagined inadequacies of our district to present winning candidate to discard such unfounded impression, but embrace aspirants from our district as good, reliable, dependable and indeed presentable, anywhere in the world.
“For 24 years, the leaders, stakeholders and members of our great parties in Ekiti South Senatorial District have willingly and faithfully cooperated with our compatriots from Ekiti North and Central Senatorial Districts not only to produce party candidates but stake all resources to ensure the victory of the candidates at the previous governorship elections.
“With the cooperation of critical, astute and patriotic counterparts from the other two districts with similar personalities in our district, put our heads together to choose a credible candidate from among the aspirants from the Ekiti South Senatorial District, that would not only win the 2022 governorship elections but impressively run Ekiti Government of the people’s dream.
“We so assure all and sundry that such aspirants abound in our Ekiti South Senatorial District,” the Forum stated.
