Posters of a former governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni, heralding his governorship aspiration, have appeared on the streets of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, Ikere Ekiti and other major towns of the state.
The posters bear the logo of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), with a bold inscription, “Segun Oni for Governor, the Reformation has Come.”
The large-sized posters appeared in places in Ado Ekiti metropolis like such as Ajilosun, Basiri, Ijigbo, Ilawe Road, Okeyinmi, as well as other towns like Ikere Ekiti and Ifaki.
Residents were seen clustering around the posters and discussing issues surrounding the politics of the state.
Oni was the governor of Ekiti State between May 29, 2007, and October 15, 2010, on the platform of the PDP. His tenure was brought to an abrupt end through an appeal court judgement delivered by Ayo Isa Salami, in a case.
The judgment was in favour of Kayode Fayemi, who was then the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN).
Oni defected to the All Progressives Congress in 2014 to support Fayemi’s second term ambition, while he served as the Deputy National Chair (South) of the party. Ayo Fayose of the PDP won that election.
He also attempted to return as Governor in the last governorship election and aspired to be the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), but again lost to Fayemi, who was favoured to pick the ticket.
Fayemi went ahead to win the election which held on July 14, 2018, defeating his main rival, and the then Deputy Governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka of the PDP.
Falling out of favour with the incumbent governor, Oni returned to the PDP last year, alleging that he was being ostracised and maltreated by the APC.
A close ally of Oni, Bayo Arowolaju, said the posters were a reflection of the people’s desire to have the former governor return to lead the state.
Arowolaju is a former Special Adviser to Oni during his time as a governor and member of the media team of his political platform named ‘Atunse Ekiti.’
He said the posters must have emanated from those agitating for the return of his former boss as a governor.
Arowolaju added that the pressure on his former boss to return as a governor has been immense in the last one year, adding that the posters could be an indication of those agitations.
“Well, as an insider in Atunse Ekiti group, I knew that Engr 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,” he said.
“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, revamp 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.”
