From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Kayode Olubunmi Ojo, has picked the N50 million All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the primary for the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election.
Speaking on his behalf after picking the nomination forms, Kola Adefemi, pioneer Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, said his decision to join the race was more than a contest for the party’s ticket but the launch of Ekiti State Rescue Mission.
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While decrying the state of the party, Ojo claimed that Ekiti was bleeding and had lost its way under Oyebanji’s leadership.
He said the people were yearning for a leader who could restore confidence, ignite development and deliver good governance.
He equally accused the governor of negligence and lack of commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda since he assumed office, alleging that he had presided over the systematic dismantling of the party machinery, which once carried him to power.
“Rather than consolidating the APC as a united force, his administration has been marked by neglect, exclusion and political insensitivity. The same grassroots leaders and party stakeholders, who championed his candidacy, endured the rigours of campaigning and delivered victory at the polls, have now been alienated and left to languish in irrelevance.
“His distance from the party’s base has created an unmistakable disconnect between the government and the people, eroding loyalty and weakening mobilisation strength across the state.
“One of the gravest missteps of Governor Oyebanji has been his reckless disregard for party loyalty in appointments. Over 100 positions, including key commissionership, have been handed over to members of the opposition parties, while committed APC leaders and faithful, who worked tirelessly for his emergence, remain sidelined.
“This unprecedented preference for political outsiders over loyal party members has sown deep resentment, painting the governor as one who rewards adversaries, while punishing his own base. The resulting disenchantment has left many within the APC, questioning whether the sacrifices they made for his election were in vain,” he said.
Expressing fears that leaving the incumbent governor may be counterproductive, Kayode said: “The governor’s relationship with the State House of Assembly has also become a flashpoint of dishonest leadership. Instead of empowering APC legislators and positioning them as vital partners in governance, Oyebanji has systematically stripped them of influence and excluded them from decision-making processes.
“Lawmakers who should be the bridge between the government and the grassroots have been rendered spectators, unable to meaningfully represent their constituencies. This deliberate sidelining of elected representatives has only weakened the legislature but has also fractured the internal checks and balances that sustain party cohesion and good governance,” Kayode lamented.
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