Victor Ogunje writes about the recent parley between Governor Biodun Oyebanji and Ekiti State federal lawmakers on the need to collaborate and attract more federal presence to the state
In politics, bridge building is important and pivotal to the success of any leader. It is a good instrument of stability, popularity, peace-building and solidification of networks for radical political accomplishments.
Learning from this axiom and being resolute to build solid bridges across political strata of Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji recently held a strategic meeting with the National Assembly members of the All Progressives Congress extraction. This was intended to bolster his performance rating in four years time when he will be put in the public opinion’s court.
Interestingly, the Governor was so ingenious to know earlier enough that his popularity that is fast gaining traction and momentum should be sustained for him to run a government that is crisis-free and less mired in controversy.
Again, he was quick to decipher that it was customary that any government that newly comes to serve always has a period of honeymoon to enjoy before being rated, which may either enhance or mar its popularity and acceptability depending on its strategies. So, he considered the meeting so strategic to the survival of his administration.
Ordinarily, the meeting was supposed to be a condolence visit to the Governor on the demise of the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye. But the opportunity threw up discourse about Ekiti, woven around how Oyebanji could foster relationships and strong ties with the federal lawmakers to attract federal presence to Ekiti.
Those at the parley included; Senators representing Ekiti Central and North Senatorial Districts, Opeyemi Bamidele and Olubunmi Adetumbi respectively.
Others were; House of Representatives members representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1, Hon Yemi Adaramodu; Federal Constituency 2, Hon Femi Bamisile; Ekiti North constituency 1, Hon Peter Owolabi; constituency 2, Hon Ibrahim Olanrewaju, and Ekiti Central constituency 1, Hon. Sola Fatoba and his counterpart in the constituency 2, Hon Wumi Ogunlola.
The full complements of these APC federal legislators at the parley attested to the fact that Oyebanji musters a lot of respect and acceptability among them. It signposted that he was ready to go all the hog to make Ekiti great by working with those whose contributions matter in turning things around.
Most rewarding was the fact that the governor perceived these legislators as strong allies who can make things happen. He sees them as more of instruments that can attract development to Ekiti if well harnessed, rather than being labelled as enemies.
Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in Nigeria in 1999, there had been a trend that was worrisome to the people, which was the consistent mutual distrust between the governors and federal lawmakers.
In most cases, the governors and these lawmakers often perceived themselves as enemies. This deep-seated suspicion stemmed from the fact that many governors believed that federal lawmakers are always desirous of either botching their second term bid or succession plans.
A vivid dissection of the political dynamics regarding governorship battles across states would reveal that many of the federal lawmakers are always desirous to either unseat a sitting governor and jeopardize his re-election or foils attempt by him to impose a “surrogate” as fondly called on the party. It could also be a crisis over other interests.
The foregoing scenarios are playing out in many states of the federation today and such were further creating a lot of cleavages rupturing the system and depriving people of expected democracy dividends.
Going down memory lane, one could remember how the crisis between former Governor Kayode Fayemi and the then House of Representatives member ,Hon Opeyemi Bamidele robbed the APC of re-election in 2014. What triggered the bedlam was the Bamidele’s desire to contest the 2014 governorship against the reflection bid already declared by Fayemi.
In the last political dispensation, the same scenario nearly played out again between the two personalities, but was carefully handled and nipped in the bud to pave way for Oyebanji.
Also, in 2018, one could remember how the then Governor Ayodele Fayose fought Senator representing Ekiti South, Biodun Olujimi, over governorship slot. While Fayose was rooting for his deputy, Prof Olusola Eleka, Olujimi was also interested in the same seat. Though, the Senator later stepped down for Senator Dayo Adeyeye to give Eleka a serious fight in the primary.
Rather than going the old ways, Oyebanji believed that forging a strong tie with these Parliamentarians would bring more benefits to Ekiti and do the state a lot of good.
Upon assumption of office, Oyebanji met with some critical stakeholders, including civil servants, drivers’ unions, market men and women, local government staff and other pivotal sectors to seal a deal on how best he could run an all-inclusive government for his reign to be memorable.
He also factored the political class into his dealings, because he realised early enough that they are the vehicle that gave him the opportunity to assume this lofty height. The governor believed they must not be neglected or sidelined in the scheme of things.
Viewing things from all spetra, this parley may be a consolidation of this earlier step taken to concretise relationship with Ekiti populace.
On the day of his inauguration, Oyebanji was emphatic that he is not going to be a lone ranger in the running of government. He said despotism and one-man show, was against the ethos of democracy, which he said must be all-inclusive and participatory.
With the way he sounded that day, he quite appreciated that the seat he would be sitting on was a highly demanding and heated one, with wide and expansive scope of works that can’t be undertaken by one person, no matter how vast, experienced and competent.
“The task you have given me today was one I can’t discharge alone relying on my experience, commitment and competence. I need you to join me in discharging these onerous task that has fallen on my shoulders.
“Ekiti Kete! Today is a great day for us, and we should all be proud. Today, we are observing history being made, and a new chapter of our story being written.
“It was in this spirit of oneness that they bound together as a united Ekiti confederacy and emerged victorious against external forces that sought to subjugate us in our own land. In unity of purpose, they fought and contained attempts to dominate us at different epochs in our history.
“This same spirit of unity has been passed down generations, and guided the founding fathers and mothers who built on efforts made since the Second Republic, and led the successful struggle for the creation of our own Ekiti State. This was a struggle led by our revered traditional rulers and prominent citizens which resulted in Ekiti becoming the only entirely homogeneous state in Nigeria”.
That was why Oyebanji, described the federal lawmakers as allies, which leveraging on their influences and positions can help to shore up Ekiti development strides for the benefit of its citizens.
Most interesting was the fact that the lawmakers reciprocated the gesture. In their collective position, they saw the need to drop the toga of selfishness and pursuit of inordinate and narrow ambition and work as a team to rescue Ekiti from the present parlous state.
Little wonder, they reiterated their commitment to the rapid development of the state, just as they pledged their unflinching support for Oyebanji’s administration and leadership, which they described as not only outstanding, but enigmatic.
Speaking on behalf of the Parliamentarians, Senator Bamidele, assured Governor Oyebanji that the legislators would ensure they secure all necessary attention of the federal and international development agencies to the state deploying their individual and collective connections.
Bamidele said as partners in progress, they were in the state to commiserate with the governor on Afuye’s death and as well as to give the Governor feedbacks on the assignments he gave them.
They called on Ekiti people within and outside the state to join hands with the Governor to move the state forward, describing Oyebanji as a proactive leader who leads by example.
“We are in town to take up fresh assignments from the governor in line with our commitment to Governor Oyebanji’s transformative moves to ensure the welfare of Ekiti people.
“We are here to further consult on what His Excellency started three weeks ago when he met with the entire National Assembly caucus comprising three Senators and six House of Representatives members and he gave us various assignments as to how we could join hands with the state government to pull all the human and financial resources available at the centre to Ekiti.
“We know that it is something that means so much to the Governor and he’s taking it very seriously and after he held this meeting with us, he had been in Abuja twice to follow up at different MDAs and so for us this is something that means so much to him and he is leading by example in that regards.
“We could not but key into this aspiration and vision and part of what we are able to do today is to review and see where we stand and give him report of some of the assignments he gave us and take fresh assignments as we go back to Abuja so that we can easily liaise with our colleagues to know that the good works continue”, he said.
It was also a message of peace from the House of Representatives member from Ekiti South Federal Constituency 2, Hon Femi Bamisile, who described the interface as very fundamental to the building of an environment, where the executive and legislators can cohabit and be partners rather than enemies.
Bamisile, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency, added that Oyebanji had taken the best action by deeming it to leverage on the strategic positions of the federal lawmakers to make Ekiti great.
The lawmaker added that the longstanding trend where governors and Federal lawmakers viewed themselves as enemies were over. Bamisile said building partnership remains the best way by the executive and legislature to consolidate democracy gains for Nigerians.
“I consider the meeting as very strategic and the Governor had assured us that it will continue. I support whatever action taken by the governor to make Ekiti great. We are holding these positions in trust for our people and we can’t afford to use them to fight political battles because when two elephants fight, the grasses will suffer.
“Regular interface between us will continue and we are ready to do our best to ensure that we are not being neglected in the distribution federal wealth and public utilities.
“And we have started that from the 2023 budgetary process. We had ensured that Ekiti was captured in every facet of the economy, so that we can have cause to tell the people that we are living up to the expectations. We must always work together, so that they won’t regret electing us”.
Now that the partnership and bridge-building has started, it is the hope of Ekiti people that it has to be sustained because they are going to be the ultimate losers should this relationship suffer any setback or get strained due to pursuit of narrow political interest.
