A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, blamed the politicians from the Ekiti South Senatorial District of Ekiti State for the alleged political marginalisation and misadventures of the zone in the state’s governance structure.
Olanipekun, who argued that the political leaders of southern extraction were architects of their political misfortunes, accused the leaders of being too timid to speak out for the zone in its quest to produce a governor.
He spoke in Ikere-Ekiti on Sunday during the annual Wole Olanipekun’s Christmas Carol against the backdrops of vociferous agitations for power shift to the south and allegations of political marginalisation of the zone in the state’s governance structure.
Recall that Ekiti South has not produced the governor of the state since 1996 that the state was created out of the old Ondo State whereas North and South had since been rotating the coveted seat between themselves.
The legal luminary attributed the alleged political misadventures of the district to the disunity among the ranks and files of its politicians who he said were working at cross purposes, thus, making the struggle to produce governor impossible.
Olanipekun, who was visibly embittered by the development, pointed fingers at some prominent politicians in the south who he called “midgets” for betraying the zone’s cause to mount the governorship seat in exchange for “political tokenism”.
He said that some Ekiti South politicians have made themselves willing tools in doing the dictates and biddings of those from the North and Central zones solely for their parochial and selfish interests.
“I pity those who say they are politicians from the Ekiti South. They want to play second fiddle because they think they are inferior. That is the way I see it. But if you say I want to be deputy governor and I want to play a second fiddle, then, they will treat you as a second fiddler.
“To me, I don’t blame the people from the North if you so-called politicians from the South feel inferior and they give them political tokenism and they will accept it. They see themselves as nugget and see those from the North and Central as the giants. And they behave like zombies”, he added.
He expressed displeasure that the zone had been relegated to the background in the state’s convoluted political equations despite its humongous electoral weight in terms of population, the calibre of political actors and the number of local government areas.
He regretted that the district which was reputed for being an anchorage of giants in all spheres of endeavours has become a laughing stock in the politics of Ekiti and victim of political chicaneries since the beginning of the state’s democratic journey.
Olanipekun stated that fairness, equity and justice demanded the plum position should be the turn of Ekiti South in the next political dispensation, adding that the marginalisation must stop to foster the indivisibility and homogeneity of the state.
“I am a lawyer and I thank God for what He has done for me but assuming Obasanjo did not become the president for two-term of eight years how would we, the Southwest feel. Look at what happened in 1999, when the two leading parties yielded the tickets to Obasanjo and Falae both from the Southwest.
“To me, whether you are APC, PDP, APGA or YPP they should say this time around the Ekiti South should produce the next governor come June 18, 2022. You see I hate cheating and God doesn’t even like it. When you look at your Bible after the people of God entered the promised Land and Moses was trying to share the land, he started with all the tribes.
“So, what are we talking about the power shift to the South come 2023 if we can’t practice what we are agitating against right from our home. We must not allow Ekiti state to become a state of landlord and tenant that some people are tenants and others landlords. Everyone is equal”, Olanipekun said.
He called on Ekiti South political leaders irrespective of party affinity to close rank and work together to actualise the zone’s cause, adding that the age-long jinx can only be broken with unity of purpose and togetherness.
Second appointee of Gov Fayemi resigns, joins Ekiti State governorship race
Mr Bamidele Faparusi, Ekiti Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, has resigned his appointment to contest the state’s 2022 governorship election.
Faparusi conveyed his resignation to Gov. Kayode Fayemi in a letter dated Dec. 14 and was reportedly acknowledged on Dec. 17.
Copies of the letter were disseminated to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.
Faparusi had been a strong proponent of power shift to the Ekiti South Senatorial District.
The letter reads in part: “It is with great pleasure that I thank you for the vote of confidence reposed in me to represent Ayekire Local Council Development Area in the state’s Executive Council.
“It enabled me to serve as the political head of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, which is pivotal to the development agenda of this administration.
“Under your proactive leadership, I had the rare opportunity to consolidate on my cognate experience, broaden my perspective and build capacities in the service to the people.
“These are the bases of my decision to vie for the governorship seat following extensive consultations with the people and critical stakeholders.
“I wish to convey my decision to resign from the government to enable me to focus on the intense work required to make our party walk to victory at the poll.
“Your Excellency, I am most grateful to you and particularly take this opportunity to thank you for the assurances of your unalloyed support.
“I once again reaffirm my loyalty to you and my commitment to the progress of our great party and Ekiti State.
“Please, accept the assurances of my highest regards.’’
Faparusi was elected member of the House of Representatives in 2011, where he represented Ekiti East/Gbonyin/Emure Federal Constituency for four years.
He has been at the vanguard in the agitation for the zoning of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket to the South Senatorial district.
Others in the same vanguard argue that this was required in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play since that part of the state had never produced a governor since its creation in 1996.
Faparusi is an engineer and former member of the House of Representatives.
He becomes the second top appointee of Gov. Fayemi to resign so as to contest the APC’s governorship primary election scheduled for Jan. 22, 2022.
Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, left the cabinet two weeks ago following a directive by Gov. Fayemi that cabinet members eyeing the governorship seat should resign on or before Dec. 18.
The number of politicians that have so far shown interest in the governorship position across board has risen to about 30.
