A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Wole Olanipekun, has blamed politicians in Ekiti South Senatorial District for the alleged political marginalisation of the zone which has not been able to produce governor since the creation of the state in 1996.
Olanipekun said politicians in the district were selfish and that they always abandon the cause of the area in return for “political tokenism” from those from the North and Central zones.
The senior advocate who spoke in Ikere Ekiti, his hometown in the Ekiti South Senatorial District during the Christmas Carols organised by his radio station, New Cruise FM, called on political leaders from the district to work together to actualise the dream of producing the next governor.
The governorship position in Ekiti has been rotated between North and Central senatorial districts since creation of the state 25 years ago while the South is yet to have a taste thus heightening agitation for power shift to South through the 2022 election.
Olanipekun expressed his hatred for injustice, saying, “To me, whether you are APC, PDP, APGA or YPP, they should say this time around, the Ekiti South should produce the next governor come June 18, 2022.
“I hate cheating and God doesn’t even like it. When you look at your Bible, after the people of God entered the promised land and Moses was trying to share the land, he started with all the tribes.
“So, why are we talking about the power shift to the South come 2023 if we can’t practise what we are agitating against from our home? We must not allow Ekiti State to become a state of landlord and tenants that some people are tenants and others landlord. Everyone is equal.”
He added, “I pity those who say they are politicians from Ekiti South. They want to play second fiddle because they think they are inferior. That is the way I see it. But if you say I want to be deputy governor and I want to play a second fiddle, then, they will treat you as a second fiddle.
“I don’t blame the people from the North if the so-called politicians from the South feel inferior and they give them political tokenism and they will accept it. They (politicians from the South) see themselves as midget and see those from the North and Central as the giants. And they behave like zombies.”
Meanwhile, Ekiti State Commissioner for Infrastructure, Bamidele Faparusi, has resigned his position to pursue his 2022 governorship ambition.
The resignation came barely two weeks after a former Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, resigned to participate in the governorship contest.
The state governor, Kayode Fayemi, had given political appointees in the state willing to contest the governorship election till December 18 to resign.
In the resignation letter addressed to Fayemi dated December 17 and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, Faparusi, a former member of the House of Representatives, listed his governorship ambition and the need for the All Progressives Congress to win the 2022 election as reasons for his resignation.
He stated, “Under your proactive leadership, I had the rare opportunity to consolidate on my cognate experience, broaden my perspective and build capacities in the service to the people, which is the basis of my decision to vie for the governorship seat following extensive consultations with the people and critical stakeholders.
“Further to your directive and other considerations, I wish to convey my decision to resign from the government to enable me focus on the intense work required to make our party walk to victory at the poll.”
Faparusi, who is from Ode Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District, is an advocate of power shift to the South District which has not produced governor since the creation of the state.