From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Former governor and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni, has said that the people of the state are dissatisfied with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and will vote out the party in the 2022 governorship election.
Oni, who expressed interest in the race, said the PDP will work assiduously with the people to defeat the ruling party, ‘like Americans did to President Donald Trump in the recent presidential poll.’
The former governor said he would work with other worthy leaders of the party, including former Governor Ayodele Fayose, Senator Biodun Olujimi and others, to reposition the PDP and make it formidable to achieve the task of wrestling power from the incumbent.
Oni spoke in Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, while opening his campaign office christened, “PDP family edifice”, in preparation for the forthcoming poll in the state.
The former governor openly expressed his readiness to contest the governorship election, saying: ‘Except the parameters change, I am interested in the governorship. Though only God knows tomorrow, as of now yes, I am contesting and we are projecting that God will sanction it.’
Describing incumbency as not really an uphill task to the party, Oni stated: ‘Ekiti PDP is not afraid of incumbency power and the federal might. At a time in history, Nigeria was being controlled by PDP. But Nigerians changed their minds and voted for APC in 2015.
‘If you look at the mood in town now, the people have changed their minds going by what the people are saying in town. People are not inclined to have APC after the next expiry in 2022 in Ekiti, that is, after Governor Fayemi.
‘No government is undefeatable. President Donald Trump wanted to conquer America. He introduced Mafian styles thinking that he could not be defeated. Where is he today? He is in Florida in retirement. That is the power of the people.
‘Politicians should be able to subject themselves to the will of the people so that we won’t destroy the system. You can see that if our democracy had continued growing from 1966, Nigeria will be better than where we are today.
‘All of us must subject to the will of the masses. No one should think he could perpetuate himself in power. In the Ekiti governorship, I won’t advise anybody to do anything funny, that won’t be in the best interest of anyone.’
Oni said he decided to name his campaign base “PDP family edifice” to convey a signal that politics shouldn’t be perceived as acrimony, enmity and character assassination.
‘We want to tell Nigerians that there is a new formula in town, which is the formula of friendship, unity and oneness. I don’t believe in character assassination and exclusion, it is for all of us to be together.’
On why he made a passionate appeal to other leaders to midwife the process of reconciliation in Ekiti PDP, Oni said: ‘No single action can cement any crack in a political party, but when the process is coming from different ways, then you see the crack filled up.
‘I have been in politics for long and I understand the importance of unity. Let all leaders play their roles. Politics is a team game. As for me, I am not going to engage in names calling.’