A Human Rights Activist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Hon Adeoye Aribasoye, has maintained that the ruling party in the state remains cohesive and irrevocably focused to win the 2022 governorship election in the State.
In spite of dingdongs caused by the just concluded congresses and the rumour that Governor Kayode Fayemi had allegedly endorsed certain individual as governorship candidate, the House of Assembly member stressed that no opposition force would be allowed to divide APC before the election to avert returning Ekiti to Egypt.
He described APC as the best party that can deliver democracy dividends for Ekiti populace, adding further that Governor Fayemi has been all-inclusive in his superlative leadership style and such would continue to be demonstrated until he bows out of government.
Speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, Aribasoye said though Governor Fayemi enjoys unfettered democratic rights to support whoever he wishes among the aspirants, he is a leader, astute strategist and humble leader who would allow for all-inclusive consultation in arriving at such decision.
“Some people in their wildest imagination had started painting Governor Fayemi as a despot. I can say this boldly, Governor Fayemi is one of the most democratic governors Nigeria has ever produced.
“Don’t forget that he has a rich democratic backgrounds. His late father was a politician, so he was born into politicking. He was a pro-democracy activist, who coalesced strategies, actions and intellectual prowess with others to rid the nation of the vestiges of military. Again, he had contested election thrice and now serving as a state governor.
“With these intimidating credentials, Governor Fayemi knows the value of democracy and what inclusiveness means in the survival of any democracy. He has been part of the processes since inception in 1999 and has become the master of the game.
“I am confident that all the shades of opinions in our party shall be entertained and given consideration as we proceed to come up with a candidate for the election.
“The primary that threw up Governor Fayemi in 2018 must be the most transparent in history. That accounted for why we won that election and same will be applied in this election.”
Aribasoye added that those waiting for the APC to explode before the election would be disappointed, saying the party will be united and strong to prosecute the June 18, 2022 poll zealously.
The lawmaker stated that similar rumour of imaginary division and implosion was widely spread by mischief makers in 2018 and APC, despite the shenanigans recorded a landslide victory, winning in 12 local governments to dislodge the People’s Democratic Party.
“There is nothing like division or imposition here. APC remains one big, united family. There could be some dissenting voices, these are normal in politics and the fact that some people can still be allowed to talk in APC shows that Governor Fayemi is democratic.
“We were all living witnesses to what we witnessed in Ekiti between 2014 and 2018, when the PDP was run like a one-man show. This is not so in APC, it is even alien to us, that is not our practice and norm.
“Our members must continually have confidence in our leaders that they will do what is right and just and whatever action they take would be in the best interest of our great party and all of us as members,” Aribasoye said.