Ahead of the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has warned that the All Progressive Congress (APC) will resist any form of imposition of candidate on party’s members.
Ojudu spoke on Friday, while revalidating his membership of the ruling APC at his Ward 8, Ereguru area of Ado Ekiti Local Government area of Ekiti State.
Ojudu said that progressive politicians within the fold of the state chapters will ensure that a thorough bred democrat emerges as Governor Kayode Fayemi’s successor.
He said, though it was too early for him to declare interest in the coveted seat, but restated unequivocally that no one would be allowed to foist a surrogate governor on the people of the state.
“I can assure you that there will be no imposition. Anybody who is a member of our party would be free to contest the primary. We will allow democratic process to take place.
“But we don’t want somebody who is a stranger or a houseboy in our party to be imposed as governor,” he added.
The presidential aide boasted that the ruling APC would remain in power in Ekiti till eternity, noting that the progressives in APC would work in unison to prevent the opposition People’s Democratic Party from snatching the governorship seat.
On the intractable cold war between him and Fayemi, Ojudu dismissed having a serious crisis with the governor, saying “all I have with the governor is just political differences and not crisis”.
He said, “Let me tell you this, I don’t have any crisis with the governor, but I have differences with him. In political situation, differences are allowed, groups are allowed. I may not belong to Fayemi’s group, but I am a member of the party, he too is also a member. I cannot chase him away from the party, neither can he chase me away from the party. Every member of our party is qualified to do the revalidation.
“Power is transient. Whoever has power today may not have it tomorrow. Governor Ayodele Fayose was there yesterday and was beating everybody all over the place , he is no longer there today.
“Dr Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo were once presidents, but today, they are no longer there again.
“I want Ekiti state to be governed well so that people can go to their farms in a peaceful manner. Ekiti should not be poor and all what we need is tenacity of purpose and good leadership. We did not need anybody who will come here to graze like herds and run away.
“We need people who are committed to service. Look at what late Lateef Jakande did in four years in Lagos. He never stepped out of Lagos for one day. we need selfless leaders not a houseboy or house girl who will always distance himself from the people he is serving. We need those who can identify with his people,” Ojudu added.
