By SEUN OLAOLUWA
Ahead the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State, the campaign posters of former Governor Segun Oni have taken over strategic locations in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and other towns and villages across the state.
The posters, with the logo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) carried a bold inscription: “Segun Oni for Governor, for a Greater Tomorrow”, were pasted in conspicuous places in the Ado Ekiti metropolis, including Ajilosun, Basiri, Ijigbo, Ilawe Road, Okeyinmi and other towns like; Ikere Ekiti, Ifaki and vote-swinging communities across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Oni was the governor of Ekiti between 29 May, 2007 and 15 October, 2010, when he was removed from office via a judicial prouncement by former President of Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami, in a case instituted by Kayode Fayemi of the then Action Congress (AC).
Expectedly, the posters drew much attentions with people clustering around to discuss the consequence of such on the politics of the state.
To some residents in the state capital, the former governor did creditably well when he was governor between 2007-2010 and he was loved across party lines in the state. This was as some others said Oni should leave the stage for fresh hands to govern the state.
Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not fixed the date or set the time-table for the election expected to take place in 2022, the atmosphere in the state suggested the people are already preparing for the poll.
The last governorship election was conducted on July 14, 2018, where Governor Kayode Fayemi defeated the candidate of the PDP and the then deputy governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka.
Speaking on the development, a former Special Adviser to Chief Oni during his time as a governor and member of the Media team of ex-governor’s political platform named ‘Atunse Ekiti’, Dr Bayo Arowolaju, said the posters must have emanated from those agitating for the return of his former boss as a governor.
Arowolaju said the pressure on his former boss to return as governor has been immense in the last one year, adding that the posters are an indication of the agitations.
“Well, as an insider in Atunse Ekiti Group, I knew that Engineer Segun Oni has not formally declared his intention for the plum seat, but there are agitations from groups and individuals that he should take a plunge in 2022.
“All Ekiti people are beginning to see and appreciate how Segun Oni managed the lean resources of our dear state to build road infrastructures, construct one-storey buildings in primary schools, employ over 6,000 civil servants, revamped Ikun Dairy Farm, Romaco and other moribund state-owned firms.
“These posters to us were just a call that the right person should be allowed to govern the state for the people to feel the dividends of democracy,” Arowolaju added.
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