Fayemi: I have no ‘anointed’ candidate for Ekiti 2022 elections

The Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, along with his wife, Erelu Bisi, has not anointed any candidate for the state governorship election in 2022, TopNaija reports.

Yinka Oyebode, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Friday denied an allegation by a group that the governor’s wife has anointed the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji to take over from her husband when he completes his second term in 2022.

Oyebode, who cleared the air in an interview with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, described the allegation as coming from people who engaged in what he called “gutter and dustbin politics and from paperweight politicians”.

He said the people spreading the rumour had no electoral value and were afraid of their own shadows.

“There is nothing of such. There is no money being kept somewhere to sponsor anybody. The allegation can only come from people engaging and dwelling in gutter and dustbin politics.

“The date for the Ekiti APC primary has been set. Why should anybody bring up the issue of an anointed candidate? What are they afraid of?

“There have been constant assurances from the party hierarchy in this state of a level-playing field for the primary. Why are they afraid of their shadows?

“The issue of somebody anointing a particular candidate is a figment of their imagination.

“We are here in Ekiti State, where nothing of such can happen. There is no money kept anywhere for the purpose of sponsoring any imaginary anointed candidate,” Oyebode said.

Earlier, a group “Agents of Good Governance” had alleged in a protest message that the governor had anointed Oyebanji as his candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress for the 2022 governorship election that would hold in the state.

The letter, signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Femi Awolumate and Abdullahi Lawal, respectively stated that the governor had a particular person in mind for the governorship seat.

TopNaija has uncovered that Fayemi‘s eyes are focused on his presidential ambition for the 2023 elections. He was also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from 11 November 2015 to 30 May 2018, when he resigned to contest for a second time as Governor of Ekiti State.