Hottestgistnaija.com
Dateline: June 14 2022. Call it a shock of the moment and you may not be farther from the truth. The man of the moment himself, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), broke the ice, letting out a stream of flakes of practical politics, as he declared that he bore no grudges against anyone, as his mission in politics is to score victories back to back to advance his vision and dreams in politics for the good of the people.
For him, APC’s success in Ekiti State in the June 18 governorship election is important to him as he braces for presidential contest to crown his political career in the most populous black nation of the world to drive his development agenda for all Nigerians.
Call it brinkmanship, it is still part of “emi lokan” mantra that is fast becoming a vogue in the political lexicon in the nation’s power sharing and allocation timetable.
Tinubu seemed to be making that veiled statement in response to the reports of insinuations and nightmarish belief of some individuals who had hoped to exploit the non-existent feud for political advantage to themselves even with Tinubu himself at the risk of costly backlash.
But Tinubu is no fry in political mathematics and partisan algebra. He also knows and understands that substitution by subtraction in politics is one of the most dangerous dice-throwing on partisan chess board. And pointedly, to the surprise of his listeners, Tinubu said he could not destroy the house he built, and declared: “There is no fight anywhere”, which drew loud shouts from his audience in approval. It was indeed a “magic” declaration that throws reality into the realm of illusion among the conclave of political speculators.
After he left the podium, not a few members converged in groups to hail Tinubu as a grandmaster of practical politics, who only aims for interest and not friendship in politics.
Discussions soon developed into an open castigation of a leader (name withheld), who has reportedly been going about misrepresenting Tinubu in his leadership responsibility in the repositioning of APC as a disciplined party that focuses on pursuing its vision anchored on the general principle that propelled the founding fathers to found the party.
Now with the Jagaban himself as his own megaphone, the tonic needed for success at the Ekiti State June 18 governorship poll has been served hot.
It all happened on the day the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, lighted up Ekiti State in a governorship victory chase for the coveted trophy to pick another Oke Ayoba landlord for a tenancy that will span another four years for APC at the Oke Bareke after Governor Kayode Fayemi’s exit on October 16, 2022.
The mood was as effervescent as the political rally of such nature itself, as human and vehicular traffic choked life out of Ado-Ekiti metropolis as clock ticks for June 18 governorship election.
Five days earlier, residents had bidden their time in extreme caution in such a tumultous assembly after guns boomed in Itapa-Ekiti as the opposition SDP allegedly opened fire on the campaign train of APC, felling a member, while several others received varying degrees of injuries.
Saturday mega rally held at the State Pavilion,
Ado-Ekiti, was a marked departure from the tension that seized the state capital since that fatal confrontation in Itapa-Ekiti.
As early as 7 am, APC members and supporters across the state started arriving the venue of the rally in large numbers for the programme billed to kick off at 10am.
It was a rare outing since the inauguration of Governor Kayode Fayemi on October 16, 2018, as thousands of supporters, including women groups, cultural groups, masquerades, members of trade groups, market women, professional associations, artisans, farmers groups, students unions, members of civil society groups, labour unions, traditional drummers, ethnic groups and scores of Oyebanji Support groups thronged the venue of the rally in colourful attires.
Members of NUPENG, NLC, TUC and Unity Group for BAO, among others, were not left out in the carnival-like outing that also featured musical groups.
Special appearance was the newly elected presidential candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who led a retinue of party leaders, including the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, to the event.
Even though an outing of a roll call of National leaders in APC as they were all seated, Tinubu’s arrival in a convoy of top leaders provided an encore that enlivened the more the friendly atmosphere as he led an array of party leaders in a show of grandeur, pomp and power, all locked in luxury buses and exotic SUVs, that rolled into the state pavilion at exactly 1.40pm.
Present at the occasion were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, Governor Kayode Fayemi, his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, APC National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore; Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu; former Osun Governor Bisi Akande, Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Borno Governor Babagana Zulum, Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule, Kaduna Governor El-Nasir Rufai, Plateau Governor Solomon Dalung, Jigawa Governor Abubakar Badaru, Gov Abdulrasak of Kwara and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
Others included Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, Ondo Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, APC National Woman Leader, former Ekiti Governor Adeniyi Adebayo, Gombe Governor Bello, Ekiti Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, Osun Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Osun Deputy Governor, members of the APC National Executive Committee, Ekiti State APC Chairman, Paul Omotoso, Ekiti State Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, among several other leaders.
At the event also were APC South West PRO, Basorun Ayo Afolabi; and former Oyo State Deputy Governor Iyiola Oyedokun
Others included hundreds of members of Oyebanji’s alma mater who have formed themselves into formidable groups on the streets and house-to-house campaigns in aid of one of their own to mark the first time that an old student of the Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti, will hold the position of the governor of the state.
All is in support of the APC and its flag bearer, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who had criss-crossed the length and breadth of the state selling his development thrusts encapsulated in a Six-point agenda incorporating Youth Development and Job Creation; Human Capital Development; Agriculture and Industrialisation; Arts, Culture and Tourism; and Governance.
Speaking at the occasion, State Chairman Omotoso noted that the event marked the victory for APC, saying that the party was ready for victory having traversed the entire state selling Oyebanji to Ekiti voters.
He said Oyebanji had all it takes to be governor of the state having participated in the creation of Ekiti State, owing to his belief and confidence that Ekiti people deserved a state in which they can plan their development agenda to address their needs.
Stating that Ekiti people and APC were ready for the continuity agenda of the party through Oyebanji’s victory, he warned against violence, stressing that a repeat of recent violence against APC members would never be tolerated again.
Governor Sanwoolu said with the large crowds at the event, it proved that it is only APC that is thriving in Ekiti State. He said with Oyebanji’s history and records of performance, it was clear that he was placed to win the election. He urged members and supporters to come out emmasse on Saturday to cast their votes for APC.
Bagudu said all the APC governors were fully ready to lend hands in support of Oyebanji’s victory, even as he said Tinubu would be elected in the February presidential election. He urged peaceful election on June 18, saying the APC was poised to continue the good job Fayemi had done in Ekiti State.
Presenting Oyebanji with APC flag as the candidate of the party, Adamu said APC leaders were in Ekiti State to present Oyebanji as the candidate of the party and to assure that they would support him to succeed on Saturday poll.
Noting that as the first outing after Tinubu was elected presidential candidate, the party would show support to ensure that Ekiti remained in the hands of APC. He urged voters to come out on Saturday to double the votes that brought Fayemi to power.
Akande urged aggrieved members to sheathe their swords and vote for APC on Saturday. Fayemi re-echoed Akande’s stance, stressing that victory for the party should be a mission that must not fail.
Stressing that no rift existed in APC, Tinubu in presidential air declared that plan by the opposition to take over power in Ekiti State was a wishful thinking, even as he counselled the opposition to perish the thought.
He delivered President Buhari”s message at the event, admonishing that the party and, indeed, Nigeria, should strife for stability, unity and progress, which the PDP’s administration had destroyed.
Tinubu noted that the “broom” had since 2019 succeeded in keeping Nigeria together as one. He praised Buhari for acting on the choice of presidential candidate from the South to keep the unity of Nigeria, noting that it is left for voters in the South to ensure the success of that choice.
Tinubu, who mocked detractors over claim that there was feud within Ekiti APC leaders, declared there was no acrimony, as those spreading such report were living in the past. He urged voters to keep their cards to vote for Oyebanji as “the emi lokan of Ekiti State”.
As June 18 knocks, Ekiti people have braced to give victory to the APC and its candidate as Governor Kayode Fayemi stands sentry to usher Oyebanji into the Oke Bareke Government House on October 16, 2022. As it is, it is a matter of days for the Tinubu genie to score another goal ahead of a hot chase to keep the Aso Rock in APC’s grip.
