From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The aspirants for Ekiti State governorship elections on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed readiness to outsmart each other during the party primary and emerge the candidate of the party.
Speaking after submitting their completed expression of interest and nomination forms, the duo of Ademola Popola and USA-based Oluwatoyin Arojoba Afolabi, declared that they have bright chances of emerging candidates if the national leadership of the party conducts a credible, free and fair primary on January 27.
While Popola specifically vowed that he will not stepdown for any aspirant anointed by Governor Kayode Fayemi with even an offer of $200 billion, Afolabi boasted that he is mentally prepared to govern Ekiti more than any other aspirant.
According to Popola; “I started exactly 11 and half months ago. No aspirant has ever done that. If I am going to be the anointed candidate of the Governor, I wouldn’t have started my campaign 11 and half month ago. I was almost six months in my campaign before I informed Governor John Kayode Fayemi and Niyi Adebayo of my intention and they told me that I am more than qualified to be the Governor of Ekiti State and that I should go ahead and begin my work.
“Since then I have never stopped. I am nobody’s anointed aspirant but I am someone’s candidate; the Almighty God! He is the one that anointed me and so I will be next Governor of Ekiti State by the grace of God.
“On whether I can stepdown for anybody, I told you Otumba Niyi Adebayo and some others, Governor Kayode have not called me once to tell me Demola step down. Never! He never! All he tells me is, ‘all I want is who will win the election for APC in Ekiti. I am not going to stop anybody. So the story of anointed, he has refuted so let us take it that way. So I am not anybody anointed and I will not step down for anybody. Not for $200 billion,” he noted.
Asked how he intends to challenge the statusquo as new entrant into politics, Afolabi said: “The challenge starts with the people. I will be going from door to door. Somehow that is the way they do it over there. When Obama came to power, he has not done much of national politics. He was just two years in the Senate. And thereafter through his grassroots efforts they propel him to be the president of USA. So, I believe in my grassroots efforts as well. Nobody has my message.
“They have been there before and they have said something like this and it has never come to pass. So with me being the fresh person coming in with fresh idea, new beginning I think what I am saying is having some impact in their thinking from the poll. The grassroots and elders are working with me,” he said.