A frontline governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Muyiwa Olumilua, has opposed the endorsement of two aspirants from Ikere Ekiti ahead of the election slated for July 14.
Olumilua, who is contesting on the platform of All Progressives Congress, made his position known in an exclusive chat on Friday.
He said: “I am aware that Ikere Development Forum released a statement saying that there was a consensus reached, and one of the aspirants was chosen for APC.
“My understanding of a consensus is that everybody agrees. That it is a unanimous agreement to go ahead with a decision.
“But at that meeting, the person who was chosen as their preferred aspirant was not unanimously agreed upon by other aspirants.
“For example, I am in total disagreement, and gave them my reasons for disagreeing. And I said no, I am not going to stand by that decision.
“I am quite surprised that considering the caliber and dignity of people involved in IDF, they could still go ahead and make that kind of decision.
“It is erroneous; it is misleading and totally dishonest.”
Olumilua while giving reasons for his opposition to the endorsement said: “One of the reasons I gave was that the person they chose for my party is a new member”.
He added: “You don’t join the party and immediately run for governor. Nobody climbs a tree from the top.
“You have to first be a part of the party, follow its trend and get involved in the activities of the party before you contest for governor.
“I told the IDF at the meeting that whoever is going to be governor must have the experience politically. He must be someone who has been part of the party over time.
Olumilua said: “Whoever is going to be next governor of Ekiti must have antecedents. Age only doesn’t give political maturity.
“Money doesn’t give you political maturity. So, I told the IDF that all those things come with time. It is a gradual process.
“I let the leadership of IDF realize that the association is a socio-cultural platform for all Ikere indigenes regardless of their political affiliations.
“I also challenged them that they can’t take political decisions on behalf of Ikere people, because they are not politicians.
“You have to be a part of a political party before you make such weighty political decisions. We are in a democratic system; nobody can force a whole town to queue behind an aspirant.
“In fact, all active politicians in Ikere are against that decision. And they have been asking what gave IDF the effrontery to take such a decision.”
Recall that the IDF led by its national president, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had on Sunday, in Lagos, endorsed Dr Oluwole Oluyede of APC.
At the meeting, it also was also announced the candidature of Prof. Kolapo Olusola, the current deputy governor of Ekiti State, was endorsed as aspirant for People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The IDF said: “It was unanimously agreed that in every one of the political parties, Ikere aspirants should shelve personal interests and ensure that only one of them goes in for primary election from each party.”
