Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Sikiru Lawal, has told the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to adopt him as a candidate for the June 18, 2022, governorship election in the state.
Lawal boasted that he has better chances of defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) and return the PDP to power than any other candidate, including his former boss and aspirant, Mr. Segun Oni.
Lawal, who was Oni’s Deputy between 2007 and 2010, advised those canvassing for zoning to drop the agitation, describing Ekiti as a homogenous state without political boundaries.
He made these statements when he formally declared interest in the 2022 governorship on the platform of the PDP.
He said: “My relationship with my former boss, Mr. Segun Oni is very cordial. He will forever remain my boss. We worked together in government without rancour and we delivered. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have my own ambition.
“That I was his former deputy doesn’t mean I can’t have ambition. My ambition is to govern this state. My governorship project is not because of him (Oni). I am not doing this to galvanise support for him, but to serve the people of Ekiti.
“It is sad that Ekiti hasn’t got the correct leadership. We need a leader that understands the concept of leadership. Ekiti is very unique and peculiar, so we need someone who understands our homogeneity and who can make the best use of it.
“Zoning is a mere political demarcation. Ekiti is one by history and politics. I want a situation whereby the best candidate would be allowed to govern, whether from the South, Central or North for quick development. Everybody you see in Ekiti is Ekiti, no other attachment.”
Lawal, who holds Baba Adini title, maintained that the PDP remained the party to beat in 2022, in spite of the seeming cleavages and tendencies within it.
He said: “The PDP is the party to beat in Ekiti. There are divisions, but immediately we have a candidate, we will rally round him. There is no party without cleavages, but whoever threatening to leave if his candidate doesn’t emerge was just making empty threat.
“The PDP is too big a party to be controlled by a person. Nobody has all the delegates it his pocket, that was why some were threatening to leave if they fail at the primary,” Lawal stated.
He pledged to focus on education, health, industrial development and agriculture, if given the opportunity to serve as governor.
“Before we left office in 2010, we were building Yam Barn in Ilasa Ekiti, but yet to be completed up to now. Nigeria has the highest comparative advantage in yam production but our yams were called Ghana yam in London. All we need is to harness our human resources.
“Governor Kayode Fayemi is trying, but his best is not good enough for Ekiti. We need to improve and that is the task I am coming to achieve.”
