Former Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State, has finally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has also pledged to work for the success of the APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in the June 21 governorship election in the state.
Oni’s next political move had remained a source of speculation in the state over the weeks but on Monday, during a visit to him at his Ifaki-Ekiti home by the Fayemi campaign train, he unveiled his intention to defect to APC after rejecting to work with former Governor Ayo Fayose, the candidate of the PDP in the election.
In 2009, Oni had also refused to work with Fayose in the governorship rerun, an election which eventually led to his removal as governor by the court in 2010; and said he decided to resolve his differences with Fayemi, having considered him “the best option for Ekiti, at this critical time.”
Oni said: “Today, we are erecting a new platform to build the future for Ekiti. To us, the future is paramount in our hearts and what our children would say about us. Though, we might have a past that was rough, but we have to let the past be past. We must think of who can take the right decisions for us to build a prosperous future for Ekiti.
Some of the Oni’s loyalists, including former Commissioner for Information, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun, who also recently defected to the APC; ex-Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Abiodun Bamiteko, former Commissioner for Lands, Mr Kayode Babade, a serving member of House of Assembly, Mrs Bunmi Oriniowo, former Majority leader, Mr Lai Oke and ex-Special Adviser on Strategy, Mr Ben Oguntuase, were among those at the interaction.
An excited Governor Fayemi said on the occasion that Oni’s intention to join the party was a lesson to the country that leadership was about the people and should not be seen from a narrow perspective, saying what fascinated him about Oni was the fact that “he could not be accused of lacking in integrity, character and respect for the people.”
Fayemi, best option for Ekiti – Ex- Gov. Segun Oni
