The people of Ekiti State are ready to decide the fate of the state for the next four years as they prepare for Saturday’s governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police, as well as other stakeholders in the poll, are putting adequate measures in place to ensure a free and fair election, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
A total of 35 aspirants from various political parties would vie for the top seat, including a former governor, an incumbent deputy governor, and former political leaders in the state.
A review of some of the candidates is highlighted below:
Kolapo Olusola – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Professor Kolapo Olusola is the incumbent deputy governor of Ekiti State from Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District. Before his election as deputy governor, Olusola was an accomplished lecturer at the Department of Building in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, for at least two decades.
The deputy governor is also a distinct registered builder who previously held very important positions in state and he is proudly supported by his boss, Fayose, to succeed him as governor.
Kayode Fayemi – All Progressives Congress (APC)
Dr Fayemi hails from Isan Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of the North Senatorial District of the state. He first served as the state governor since 2010 but lost his re-election to the incumbent Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose in 2014.
Fayemi consequently joined President Buhari’s cabinet in late 2015 and served as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development. He resigned as a minister on May 30 after being declared as the APC candidate to pursue his governorship ambition.
Akinloye Aiyegbusi – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
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Mr Ayegbusi was an Executive Director at Eco Bank Plc. before he joined politics this year. During his recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he explained why he thinks he is the best candidate for the job. He is also a strong believer in governance by the young generation.
Segun Adewale – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
Mr Adewale is an entrepreneur and a philanthropist popularly known as Aeroland. He is also a grassroots politician in Lagos State and a native of Ipoti-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
He defected to the PDP in 2011 to run for the Federal House of Representative, Alimosho Federal Constituency but lost the election to Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the then Action Congress of Nigeria.
Bisi Omoyeni – Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN)
Mr Omoyeni is once a deputy to Governor Fayose. He is also a former Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank Plc. He is an indigene of Ikere, an ancient community in Ekiti.
Dare Bejide – Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN)
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Mr Bejide is a lawyer and former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He ventured into grassroots politics when the ban on political activities was lifted by the military administration.
The former ambassador was a foundation member of National Republican Convention (NRC) and United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in the old Ondo State, as well as a foundation member of the UNCP and PDP when Ekiti State was created. He left the PDP in March 2018 for PPN to pursue his governorship ambition.
Abiodun Aluko – Accord Party
Mr Aluko is a native of Ikere Ekiti and a former deputy governor of the state in the administration of Governor Fayose. He went to Annunciation Grammar School, Ikere Ekiti and later graduated from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife-Ife, in Osun State.
Bode Olowoporoku – Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP)
Olowoporoku was a former Second Republic Minister of Science and Technology under Usman Shehu Shagari government. He holds a PhD in economics and represented Ekiti South Senatorial District between 2003 and 2007.
Other candidates and their parties are:
Shola Omolola Action Alliance (AA)
Agboola Olaniyi Alliance for Democracy (AD)
David Adesua – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Lucas Orubuloye All Grassroots Alliance (AGA)
Stephen Oribamise All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP)
Tunde Afe – Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)
Saheed Jimoh – African Peoples Alliance (APA)
Tope Adebayo – Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA)
Ayodeji Ayodele – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
Adegboye Ajayi – Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)
Olajumoke Saheed – Democratic Alternative (DA)
Olalekan Olanrewaju – Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC)
Yinka Akerele – Democratic Peoples Party (DPP)
Adewale Akinyele – Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)
Sule Ganiyu – Freedom and Justice Movement (FJP)
Tosin Ajibare – Independent Democrats (ID)
Temitope Amuda – KOWA Party
Sikiru Lawal – Labour Party
Olabode Jegede – Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN)
Oladosu Olaniyan – Northern People’s Congress (NPC)
Babatunde Alegbeleye – National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP)
Dada Ayoyinka – People for Democratic Change (PDC)
Goke Animashaun – Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)
Olusegun Adeleye – United Democratic Party (UDP)
Jacob Gboyega – Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
Fakorede Ayodeji – Young Democratic Party (YDP)
Omotayo Gabriel – Young Progressives Party (YPP) – Source: Channels.
