Nigeria: Changing Political Calculus of Ekiti State

Gbenga Sodeinde reports that the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition Social Democratic Party in Ekiti state may be working out a mutual relationship with the recent meeting between Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his SDP opponent in the last governorship poll, Segun Oni.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji paid a surprise visit to his fiercest rival and challenger in the last governorship poll, Segun Oni, at his residence in Ifaki Ekiti, Ido/ Osi Local Government area of the State.

The meeting, which lasted for an hour, saw the two leaders discussing issues bordering on socio-economic and political development of Ekiti State and how to reposition the state for greater prosperity.

Oni, who enjoyed so much vibes and traction in terms of popularity before the poll, eventually came distant second.

The widespread impression among SDP members and sympathizers that the poll was rigged, further strained the already frosty relationship and partisan gulf between the two eminent politicians.

The foregoing scenario made the visit highly surprising to many. In fact, it sounded like a fable by the time the news filtered into town. This was on the premise that Oni posed as a hard nut to crack after the June 18, 2022 governorship election. He dragged the incumbent Governor to the Election Petitions Tribunal, seeking his outright removal in spite of pleas from critical stakeholders.

However, Oni lost across all hierarchies of court. The courts dismissed his petition and upheld Oyebanji's victory.

Since the supreme Court's verdict, there wasn't any signal that Oni and his supporters in the Social Democratic Party will ever embrace the current government in Ekiti. They all maintained a lethargic, hardlining and recalcitrant position, going by their utterances via social media buzz.

To confirm this, Oni had prior to the February 25, 2023 presidential poll, allegedly authored a statement, debunking his readiness to support the candidacy of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He predicated this on the strength of his belief that the All Progressives Congress rigged the governorship election against him.

Still bubbling with anger of his loss, it was evident that Oni was not ready to embrace any rapprochement or olive branch being extended to him by APC, the party where he once served as the Deputy National Chairman(South).

Sign that the permutation was clandestinely altering and tilting emerged when Oni's Chief- strategist, Hon. Ife Arowosoge visited Oyebanji in his office at Oke Bareke in Ado Ekiti. It was at this point that rumour started flying around that there was a deep crack and confusion within the ranks of the Ekiti SDP as to what the future holds for them.

Before Arowosoge's visit, there was a rumour that a strong faction of the SDP that is loyal to its Deputy Governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Owolabi, had started hobnobbing with APC.

The Ado -Ekiti born Owolabi, was the State Chairman of the pro-Tinubu power -wielding political machinery named Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju, fondly called SWAGA before he defected to SDP to align with Oni.

In spite of the political gulf and deep-seated enmity between APC and SDP, there were a lot of confirmation to the fact that Owolabi's loyalists in SDP voted and worked assiduously for Tinubu in the presidential poll.

The question now on the lips of ardent watchers of Ekiti politics is, will Oni return to APC after severing political tie with the party? Rumour had earlier filtered into town that the former governor was contemplating returning to the Peoples Democratic Party, where he served as governor between 2007 and 2010.

Putting it succintly, the body language expressed at the meeting with Governor Oyebanji signaled that of good prognosis that he may likely return to APC. This will automatically alter the political calculus ahead of the 2026 governorship poll, if realisable.

On the day of the visit, Governor Oyebanji arrived the Ifaki residence of the former Governor at around 10.35am. With the way the two embraced each other, one could easily conclude that it was one day the two of them had anxiously been expecting with so much hope. It was a moment of ecstasy for the two political giants and their backers.

Addressing his host and members of his political family, Oyebanji, said the visit was in fulfilment of his pledge to personally call and visit Engr Oni, whom he described as a brother and leader for whom he had great respect.

He said: "I am here to debunk the notion that you don't return from court and become friends. I am here to greet my senior brother and my leader whom I have great respect for.

"For me, I believe litigation is part of electoral process and I appreciate His Excellency for pursuing the electoral matter up till the apex court and not recourse to self help.".

Governor Oyebanji, who expressed appreciation to God for making the meeting possible, described Oni as a role model who had contributed immensely to the development of the state and needs to also benefit from the fruits of his labour.

The Governor used the opportunity to call on the former Governor to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he truly belongs and join in the race to reposition the state and join hands with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to develop the country.

"We belong to different political parties, but when it comes to Ekiti development, God has put you as pathfinder and you are an Ekiti man to the core. You love this state. And sir, we campaigned on a mantra of prosperity, and you just spoke about it that we need to develop the state to a point where every indigene of this state will be prosperous irrespective of where they find themselves. We can only do that by creating development centres in our local governments and communities.

"I am pleading with you sir, now that the party you suffered for, where you were Deputy National Chairman is now in the centre, I am too young to give you a directive but as one of your ardent followers, I want you to consider coming back home. Asiwaju Tinubu needs every good head, every good hand to succeed and he is from this zone of the country and when Segun Oni is not in the basket, the basket is not full.

"I'm pleading with you in the interest of our people, in the interest of Yoruba nation, in the interest of Nigeria".

Oyebanji, who used the opportunity to inform former Governor Segun Oni of his intention to set up a Council of former Governors that which objective would be how to drive development of the state, advise the then incumbent on the best way to run the state from their wealth of experiences.

Oyebanji said :"I gave an advice sometimes when you were Governor that why don't we have a conclave of former Governors, a replica of Council of State in Ekiti where all former Governors will sit down, give advice and assess the government.

"You said it was a good idea that you would do it, but you could not achieve it because of the verdict. But now that I have found myself in the saddle, we have to create that conclave of all former Governors irrespective of political parties where we will sit down quarterly and discuss, share ideas, proffer solution and take assignments on behalf of who is Governor for us to do nationally".

The Governor, who noted that Oni's tenure remained a reference point in the annals of the state, called on all leaders in position of authority to make use of the opportunity God has given them in the interest of the people, to use their wealth of experience to develop the state by attracting more goodies from the federal government.

He stated further, "As a Governor, I consult with all the former Governors, in fact, I consult more with Governor Fayose than with Fayemi and Adebayo, why, because I went through the tutelage of Adebayo and Fayemi, so on any issue, I have an idea of what they will do so I don't even bother them that much.

"But I did not have the opportunity of working with Governor Fayose. So, I usually call him to seek his opinion on some issues and he would readily oblige me. I have that relationship with him and I want to have same with you. I want to be able to consult you, seek your opinion on some knotty issues"

Earlier, Oni, who together with his wife and some political associates received Governor Oyebanji, thanked the Governor for the visit, which he said goes to confirm the fact that Ekiti development was of paramount interest to the Governor.

Oni who said the meeting was the best he had attended this year in view of the sincerity of the Governor, stressed the need to build a virile Ekiti State based on unity of purpose because Ekiti was already left behind among comity of states and all hands should be on deck to reposition the state by making all communities, development centres to engender true development.

While acknowledging the fact that Governor Oyebanji was one of the founders of the state, bestowed with the wisdom of the old and who understood the spirit behind its creation, Oni pledged his unflinching support to the administration of Governor Oyebanji and Ekiti state at large.

"Let me summarize everything, first gratitude to God for preserving our lives, gratitude to the Governor for deeming it fit to visit me and gratitude to Ekiti for giving all of us the opportunity and the best way for us to make that gratitude full is to contribute our best to his government and the state.

"We must ensure that we do not lead our people into acrimony, but lead them into friendship and make politics a lot more pleasant for our people".

Reacting to the visit, the APC , Ekiti State chapter, described Oyebanji's action as a normal thing a good leader, who is questing to build an all-inclusive and participatory governance will do.

The ruling party, through its Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, posited that the governor, promised to leverage on the human resources strength of Ekiti to build a State all citizens can be proud of, regardless of partisan interests and political affiliations. He said this had amplified the governor's respect for all Ekiti men and women.

Dipe said; "Let me say that the visit was normal. Reaching out to those that had contributed to the growth of our dear state and whose ideas and experiences can still be of help to the governor, is normal. It is a welcome development.

"But if this will translate to Segun Oni returning to APC, we see it as a welcome development. It is the more, the merrier. Governor Oyebanji is the governor of Ekiti State and reaching out to perceived political opponents to bring them on board, so that we can all be in one direction is good and fine".

But the SDP State Publicity Secretary, Ganiu Salau, periscoped the visit from a different prism. He believed that the visit by the governor was just a way of showing courtesies and respect to a statesman. He was emphatic that Oni won't return to APC.

Salau added: "I want to confirm to you authoritatively that Engr Oni will not return to APC. Return to go and do what? He can't do it alone. He had consulted us and we told him that APC is a cancer and it is poisonous. The visit was just a way of showing respect to a brother and leader.

"But politics is a continuous and changing game. Anything can happen. Engr. Oni remains our leader and we will follow whatever steps he eventually takes. We also believe that we should all come together and build our state, irrespective of the political divide we belong".

Changing Political Calculus of Ekiti State

Gbenga Sodeinde reports that the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition Social Democratic Party in Ekiti state may be working out a mutual relationship with the recent meeting between Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his SDP opponent in the last governorship poll, Segun Oni.

kiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji paid a surprise visit to his fiercest rival and challenger in the last governorship poll, Segun Oni, at his residence in Ifaki Ekiti, Ido/ Osi Local Government area of the State.