….Says tenants won’t be allowed to take over Ekiti APC

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has dismissed what he called “kangaroo endorsement” of National Assembly aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections in the state.

Fayemi who spoke at his hometown, Isan Ekiti, at the weekend while hosting party stakeholders across the state, expressed concern over continued activities of those he described as “opportunists” within the government circle, which he said had polarized the party.

Though the ex-governor acknowledged the importance of consensus in choosing candidates where all aspirants agreed, he however insisted that elections are unavoidable wherever people fail to agree on a consensus mode of picking a candidate for the party.

He urged all aspirants, especially those who are currently at the National Assembly who are enjoying the votes of the electorate, to be ready to tell the people their achievements before seeking endorsements for another term.

The former governor argued that any serious aspirant must be ready to face a primary election by relying on their performance to speak for them.

He stressed the need for adherence to the party constitution, principles, and electoral act to guard against unnecessary litigations after primaries.

“There is no way a primary election for the House of Assembly and National Assembly will be skipped in any area where consensus among aspirants cannot be reached. Any aspirant who knows they are popular, competent, and have performed well in previous positions should have no reason to fear a primary.

“The law provides for both consensus and direct primaries, allowing every verified, card-carrying party member who participated in the party’s revalidation exercise to cast their vote.

Where consensus fails, it will not be the so-called endorsements by some leaders that determine the outcome. Aspirants will take their case to the field to test their strength and popularity among party members.

“In some areas, leaders may agree on a candidate they believe has performed creditably, but any claim that Governor Oyebanji, former Governor Fayemi, or Otunba Niyi Adebayo has endorsed a particular aspirant is false.”

Fayemi vowed not to allow anyone joining the party to hijack it, saying that those joining must follow laid down process.

“I am not against anyone joining the APC, but I will not allow a tenant to take over my house. There is nothing wrong with a tenant coming in, but there are proper processes that must be followed.

“I will not allow anyone to seize the party from us. I want everyone to put their minds at ease—no “tenants” will be allowed to take control of the party. Some people are even claiming that they are now the owners of the party. We shall see who truly owns it.

We cannot create problems for the Governor. While we had expected the primaries to take place before the governorship election, the current situation means we cannot allow opportunists to take actions that could jeopardize the Governor’s re-election. It would have serious consequences if the party does not follow the wishes of its members, because the members are the true soul of the party,” he said.