#Ekiti2018: The inside details of how Prof. Eleka’s aspiration tears Ikere apart

By Oguntuase Jimoh

The push for Prof. Olusola Eleka, the Ekiti state deputy governor, to succeed his boss, Governor Ayodele Fayose, may have drawn discordant tones beyond the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

From the very moment some stakeholders of the party in the state adopted Prof. Eleka as the ‘sole governorship’ candidate, the relative harmony among members has waned considerably. Overtime, dissenting voices repudiated attempt to ‘impose’ Prof. Eleka on the party and unless a reconciliation is achieved, the discord in PDP in the state put to doubt the party’s continuous hold of Ekiti state.

But away from party logjam, feelers have hinted that Prof. Eleka has struggled to rally his kindred to back his aspiration for the top seat in Ekiti state. Prof. Eleka is from Ikere, a notable town in the state. But easily noticeable is the disparity of views shared by indigenes of the town to his (Eleka) aspiration for Ekiti top job.

While some believed Prof. Eleka’s antecedent is not convincing enough to warrant their supports for his new pursuit, others are considerate of their ties to rally around him– a seemingly different posture that is causing ruckus in the ancient town.

Before 2014 when Mr. Fayose brought him as his deputy, Prof. Eleka, a professor of building technology, is a quiet person and hardly known in his hometown and even as the next-in-line to the state government, his contributions to the town is least visible.

Aside that, a local leader told our reporter that those reluctant to back Prof. Eleka’s aspiration from the town are wary of Governor Fayose, who is rumored to have disguised him (Eleka) for his ‘third term’ plan.

Gov. Fayose resorted to back his deputy for the governorship seat after attempt to get legal sanction for him to re contest, considering his argument that he wasn’t allowed to complete his first term.

“We (Ikere people) want a governor but not a ‘puppet’ and that explains the scanty support Prof. (Eleka) enjoys in the town today. Have you seen Prof. Eleka without Governor Fayose holding his hands in the town? That is a show of what we should expect if he ever wins. “The local leader who chooses not to be named for fear of retribution noted.

“However unfortunate is that, this has polarized our town like never before because his (Eleka) people have chosen to antagonize any person who have expressed genuine concerns on his aspiration and are reluctant to show support.  Though, many people are avoiding admitting it, but Olukere (Ikere monarch) ordeal has no other root than his reservation to single out Prof. Eleka for support when other sons’ from the town also shared the same aspiration.”

The local leader, however, described Prof. Eleka as a ‘good’ man but was quick to express his disappointment that the deputy governor could not bring to bear this attribute to sustain the age long mutual relationships in the town.

Another Ikere indigene that identified himself as Tope, regretted the ruckus the governorship aspiration of Prof. Eleka has generated in the town, musing that “if Governor Fayose imposed him (Eleka) on the PDP, must it be forced on Ikere people? Why is everyone who is no with Prof . Eleka today in the bad book of the government?”

Mr. Tope observed that while Prof. Eleka is a respected indigene of the town. He blamed the overbearing manner which Governor Fayose adopted in pushing his (Eleka) aspiration, for the misgivings exercised by the people of the town. Even more, he argued the suitability of Prof. Eleka for Ekiti top job, saying “unless the rumours that he is running to fulfill his (Fayose) ‘third term’ agenda, because no one has been convinced of his (Eleka) leadership capacity.”

“Ekiti is in dire straits and taken decision based on sentiments can’t be patriotic. He (Eleka) is my brother from the same town but my fear, which may as well be shared by some others, is that he doesn’t possess enough capacity to resolve the impasse confronting our dear state. Governor Fayose wants to use him fulfill his mission of continuity of poverty and penury’.

“Even as a lecturer at OAU, it isn’t a secret that his laxity and poor attitude to responsibilities ridded him the confidence of his colleagues to entrust him with HOD, not to talk of higher task and it raises doubts that he could be a good governor for a poor state like Ekiti.”

But dismissing insinuations raised against the aspiration of Prof. Eleka, a staunch PDP member from Ikere, Olutosin Joseph, attributed most of the negative rhetorics to ‘adversaries’, absolving the deputy governor from any crisis rocking the town.

Mr. Joseph who placed Prof. Eleka as the ideal successor to Governor Fayose, said as someone who has attained the summit of academic pursuit, Ekiti stands to benefits in no small measures from his experience, adding that the deputy governor is better positioned to continue from where his principal, Fayose, left governance.

“Don’t be swayed by our adversaries. They are perplexed that this gentleman (Eleka) is well positioned for the governorship seat,” he said.

When asked on why the deputy governor has not intervened on the ongoing trial of the monarch of the town, Mr. Joseph, who initially was evasive, said “it’s something I can’t categorically say but he (Eleka) must have his reason(s) and that shouldn’t be enough to blame him for the crisis in the town.”

Apparently moving to repair hostile relationships in the town, IDF, Ikere Developments Forum, had recently met in Lagos to reach a consensus on who should the town throw-up for the governorship contest.

However surprisingly, the town resolved to back two aspirants– from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the tone of the forum, which draw membership from eminent Ikere indigenes, seem swayed to Dr. Wole Oluyede, who was unanimously considered ahead of three other aspirants under the APC, unlike Prof. Olusola Eleka, who is the sole governorship aspirant under the PDP from the town.

“Eventually, the Ikere Development Forum (IDF) leadership unanimously agreed that Dr. Wole Oluyede be presented as the preferred and consensus candidate amongst the aspirants,” the communique released after the meeting reads partly.

It was gathered that majority of IDF members are not happy with the way Prof. Eleka ‘armtwisted’ the Ogoga to support him despite the seemingly lack of support from Ikere people.

However, IDF was swift to accommodate Prof. Eleka in their resolution based on his adoption by Governor Fayose, noting that “For the PDP in particular, IDF leadership considers the support which Prof. Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola enjoys from the Ekiti State Governor, who also doubles as the leader of the Party as a privilege and honor.

“As such, IDF leadership pleads that he should be given and accorded every necessary support and encouragement at his Party’s primary election.”

Some contestants from Ikere like Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, Kola Alabi have staged clear protest against IDF position on the matter.