The people of Ekiti State, South West of Nigeria will troop out today to vote in the state’s governorship election.
No fewer than 35 candidates of different political parties will slug it out.
However, two major political parties are in the forefront.
They are the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Suffice to say that the contest is strictly between the two parties.
While the candidate of the PDP is the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professior Kolapo Olusola, that of the APC, is a former governor of the state and former Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
The Ekiti State governorship election is significance in different ways.
It is the only state in the South West of the country that has been elusive to the APC.
However, the party appears to be desperate to win it this time around.
The governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, of PDP, however is determined to ensure that his party does not lose grip of the state.
The leadership of the party in Abuja, is also not ready to let the state go as it is giving Fayose all the needed support to win the election.
Ahead of the election of today, there has been so much tension.
The political activities in the state between Tuesday and Thursday in the state indicated the amount of desperation of the two leading parties.
While President Muhammadu Buhari stormed Ekiti along with other APC chieftains to campaign for Fayemi, Fayose gave a sit-at-home order to the people of the state.
Commercial vehicles were also directed not to operate in an obvious bid to frustrate those who might want to attend the Fayemi campaign.
The next day, Fayose also claimed to have been attacked by policemen, a claim which had since been denied by the security agency.
As part of efforts to ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere and devoid of rigging, no fewer than 30,000 policemen were deployed for the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has also promised to be neutral in its activities.
It also promised to be very transparent.
The leadership of the PDP has also warned that any attempt by the APC to rig the election would be met with stiff opposition.
At different occasions, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus had vowed that if Ekiti election is rigged, there would not be a general election in 2019.
Apart from Fayemi and Olusola, other candidates are:
Akinloye Aiyegbusi – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Segun Adewale – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
Bisi Omoyeni – Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN)
Dare Bejide – Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN)
Abiodun Aluko – Accord Party
Bode Olowoporoku – Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP)
Shola Omolola – Action Alliance (AA)
Agboola Olaniyi – Alliance for Democracy (AD)
David Adesua – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Lucas Orubuloye – All Grassroots Alliance (AGA)
Stephen Oribamise – All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP)
Tunde Afe – Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)
Saheed Jimoh – African Peoples Alliance (APA)
Tope Adebayo – Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA)
Ayodeji Ayodele – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
Adegboye Ajayi – Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)
Olajumoke Saheed – Democratic Alternative (DA)
Olalekan Olanrewaju – Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC)
Yinka Akerele – Democratic Peoples Party (DPP)
Adewale Akinyele – Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)
Sule Ganiyu – Freedom and Justice Movement (FJP)
Tosin Ajibare – Independent Democrats (ID)
Temitope Amuda – KOWA Party
Sikiru Lawal – Labour Party
Olabode Jegede – Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN)
Oladosu Olaniyan – Northern People’s Congress (NPC)
Babatunde Alegbeleye – National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP)
Dada Ayoyinka – People for Democratic Change (PDC)
Goke Animashaun – Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)
Olusegun Adeleye – United Democratic Party (UDP)
Jacob Gboyega – Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
Fakorede Ayodeji – Young Democratic Party (YDP)
Omotayo Gabriel – Young Progressives Party (YPP)
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