In less than a year from now, governorship election will take place in Ekiti state, the basis upon which many aspirants have signified their interests in the race but with the exception of one, who has maintained a stoic but strategic silence. TAIYE ODEWALE writes
Due to timelessness allowed for electoral litigations in the 2002 and 2010 Electoral Acts, judicial pronouncement of October 15, 2010 which ousted Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti from office, made Ekiti state to join the league of states with separate dates for gubernatorial elections.
Recall that after the Court of Appeal ruling that day, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), was sworn in on 16th of October 2010 as the duly elected governor of the state from the 2007 governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) from which Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was earlier declared as winner by INEC.
Historically, the court ruling made Ekiti state to join three other states before it , namely: Anambra, Edo and Ondo- as states with separate dates for gubernatorial election different from 24 others that used to have theirs in February or March every four years during general elections.
The four other states that have joined Ekiti and three others with separate dates for off-season gubernatorial elections due to outcome of litigations in the court of law are Osun, Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.
The 2022 Ekiti state gubernatorial election will take place on June 18, 2022, to elect the governor of Ekiti state. Incumbent APC governor Kayode Fayemi is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term. The primaries are scheduled for between January 4 to 29.
Setting the stage for the guber contest next year, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, a couple of months ago announced Saturday June 18, 2022 as the date for the next gubernatorial election in Ekiti state.
The INEC boss who made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja, also fixed July 16, 2022 for the next governorship election in Osun state, having earlier announced November 6, 2021 for the Anambra guber poll.
Yakubu said, “In the sequence of off-season elections, the Ekiti and Osun state governorship elections are holding next year.
“In keeping with our policy of announcing the dates of elections in advance to enable early and effective preparations by all concerned, the Commission has approved that the Ekiti State Governorship election will hold on Saturday June 18 2022.
“The Osun state governorship election will hold one month later on Saturday July 16, 2022.
“We implore political parties and aspirants to ensure rancour-free primaries and, thereafter, conduct peaceful electioneering campaigns,” he said.
The silence contender
Expectedly, after the announcement, many interested contenders across political parties, have thrown their hats into the ring of contest as gubernatorial aspirants for tickets of their parties as candidates ahead of the election proper.
Bill boards and posters of such aspirants, particularly, within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), are very conspicuous for residents and passersby to see ahead of primary election expected to take place before this year runs out.
In fact, if INEC, had adopted the provision in the about-to-be-passed electoral Act, the primary election supposed to be taking place by now since the election proper is less than a year from now.
However, as close as the election is and flurry of aspirants joining the race within the APC camp in Ekiti state, a potential contender is still keeping people in suspense on his aspiration.
Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele popularly known as M.O.B.
Senator Bamidele who represents Ekiti Central senatorial district in the Senate chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, is not new to the contest in Ekiti state, having in 2014 ran on the platform of the Labour Party and in 2018, persuaded by APC national and state leaders to step down for Dr Kayode Fayemi who eventually won the election conducted on July 14, 2018.
Though Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has always been evasive each time questions on his gubernatorial ambition is asked, but his visibilities both in the Senate and in Ekiti state as far as quality representation and development-driven bills sponsorship are concerned, make his silence to be strategic.
Little wonder then that one of his aides who did not want his name in print, confided in the Blueprint recently, that M.O.B will join the race in a storming way at the late hour.
“Oga (my boss) has contested for that seat twice, both as candidate and aspirant, the very reason he is doing his homework in terms of networking and strategic consultations with critical stakeholders in and outside the state now before making his aspiration known .
“His silence on the contest for now, is very strategic. He wants to enter the race by telling the people what and what he has done for them as one of the Senators representing the state and not just what he will do as many of the aspirants already in the race are saying .
“This is the reason why my boss is so passionate about the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Environmental Sciences in Iyin Ekiti in the state which is almost getting to final approval in the Senate. These are aside, multi-dimensional empowerment he has been given his constituents and even Ekiti people generally within the last two years as a serving senator “, the aide said.
As often said silence is golden but in politics, speaking out on ones aspiration, programmes or policies ,matters a lot, the very reason Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele will in no distant time, break his silence as far as Ekiti 2022 guber race is concerned.