Prime Business AfricaBy Adebola Olomo
In life, self-deception is the worst set of deceptions. It robs the subject of the reality of results while pretentiously hoping for a different result. Many opinions have been submitted on the need for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ekiti state chapter to outlive its current state of comatose if it hopes to get back to power come next year.
In my view, the seemingly unabated crisis rocking Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has become so deeply percolated that it would take ingenious and shrewd management for it to subside. It will require genuine reconciliation.
After the Appeal Court delivered judgement on the contentious congresses held sometimes in 2020, the court gave a verdict perceived to be favourable to those loyal to former Governor Ayodele Fayose, but it was widely expected that those on the opposing side would sheathe their swords and allow the internal mechanism to be deployed to straighten rough edges.
Unfortunately, actions taken afterwards were suggestive that the party may be entangled in crisis for long due to groundswell of opposition to the court’s verdict and the resoluteness being exhibited by those loyal to Senator Biodun Olujimi to fight on.
With the party polarised along Fayose and Olujimi’s factions, pundits are beginning to infer and project that the party has already started the gamble for the 2022 governorship poll because it needs cohesion and strength to be able to confront the All-Progressives Congress moving train.
Despite this ominous precarious situation, aspirants are showing forth to contest the polarised structures of the party in Ekiti state. Those who have indicated interest include, former governor Segun Oni, his deputy, Sikiru Lawal, Fayose’s former deputy, Prof. Olusola Eleka and Eleka’s former Campaign DG and current Chairman of the NWC-recognised State Exco, Otunba Bisi Kolawole. Others are Kayode Adaramodu, Wale Aribisala, Ajijola Lateef, Yinka Akerele and some others who have not shown up. Truly, the fortune of the ruling APC in the state has declined very abysmally to win election as most voters are disenchanted by the pains, problems and lack of progress the current administration has brought on the people. In fact, the failure of the APC is not limited to Ekiti state but Nigeria as a whole.
While the next election in Ekiti state could be a free win for the PDP, it appears the internal crisis rocking the party will rob it of the deserved victory if these political gladiators fail to embrace true reconciliation. As the saying goes, no divided team will win a game. As of today, the needless division within the fold of the PDP in Ekiti should be resolved with the bigger picture in focus; even if for the love of the thoroughly traumatized people of Ekiti.
Initially, most of the old politicians were at a loss, caught between the Candidate foisted on them through godfatherism and the lack of seriousness and financial power needed to take over from APC from the few people who threw their hats into the ring.
There seems to be a new confidence in Ekiti PDP, as recent research shows that one of the party’s leading aspirants who has been on the vanguard of peace and reconciliation moves is Kayode Adaramodu, ex- GTBank General Manager and an Economic Adviser at the UK Office for National Statistics. During his tour of the Local Governments recently, his key message for the party’s leadership was the need to close ranks for the deserved victory.
This message seems to resonate across the state, as most ward delegates seem to have found in Adaramodu,a new bride and a fresh blast of sunshine.
As we move towards the 2022 election in Ekiti state, the State and National leadership of PDP should help the voice of reason prevail if we must end the pains of Ekiti people after next year’s election. What should be paramount to the leadership of the PDP now is how to rescue the people from the present undeserved punishment in the land, as the albatross that could throw away their impending victory may be the cold-grip influence of a former governor of the State and a reminiscence of the loss of the party through the same method.
Based on majority views expressed by most people in the State, the Odundun movement is spreading like wildfire, as youths show a preference for one of their own – an accomplished banker, philanthropist, digitally compliant and technologically savvy, over the others.
Adaramodu appears to be the most strategic and acceptable candidate in his political engagement so far.
The question is, will the people’s will prevail?
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