Crisis is brewing between the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC and the People’s Democratic Party,PDP in Ekiti State. The two major Political parties have taken up against each other on the process of governance in the state.
The PDP had bemoaned the present administration of governor Biodun Oyebanji based on the criticism that the governor lacks clear cut policy development agenda adding that Oyebanji since the inception of his administration is underperforming being at the peril of power brokers.
The opposition added that what the state government considers as achievements ranging from salary payment to road maintenance are not solid enough as dividends of Democracy.
The PDP categorically stated that Oyebanji lacks direction after eight months of taking over reign of governance in the state.
The opposition party explained that the governor since October 16 last year has failed to stamp his feet in the governance of the state with no clear cut policy direction and lack of full cabinet members.
The submission forns the outcome of the meeting at the weekend conducted by a group within the PDP, under the aegis of ‘The Progressives’, where the leader,Wale Ayeni spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The meeting geared towards the repositioning of the party in the state was attended by the party leaders and members including, the South West spokesman, Chief Sanya Atofarati ; former chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe;former acting governor, Tunji Odeyemi, Niyi Alonge , among other leaders and members from the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
Ayeni who was the convener of the meeting said that the opposition party has leant its lessons from the past failures, adding that there is need for leaders to close ranks and be united in a bid to take over power in the state.
Accusing the APC administration of not offering tangible dividends of democracy to the people, the PDP said governance is beyond payment of salaries and patching of roads in only the state capital.
He alleged that the governor is handicapped in taking critical government decisions due to the influence of godfathers , urging him to seek help in liberating himself in the interest of Ekiti people.
According to him, “If you are contesting election, you must have a definite agenda and programme but someone in office for eight months, without a clear direction and focus ; is it patching of roads that Ekiti people need at this period ? or you want to tell me because you are paying salary , that is achievement?
“We need genuine development in Ekiti state. The governor should come up with a masterplan of how he intends to develop the state. Rural development, industrialization, among others, that is what we need. Are you saying that patching of roads and payment of salary is what the governor will unveil for one year in office? What is the work of the local government administration if it is the governor that is patching roads?
“The governor should even tell us by now , the state of our debts . The people need to know the state of our debts because we have series of uncompleted projects, including the airport which is not functioning.
“If we are still in a stage after one year of election as a governor, you don’t have a say on who become principal officers of the state House of Assembly, then you should know what Ekiti people should expect in the next four years. If a governor could not have a say in the leadership of the legislative arm, you should know there is a problem.
“This is the first time in the history of the state that a governor will constitute committee to start looking for people who will become a commissioner, it is not done anywhere. Except for the fact that the governor is trying to hide anything, by now we should know the debt of the state and how much he inherited from the last administration.
“And let me say that definitely, the governor will come to us because he needs our help. The governor who has no power to do anything on his own, he has no chief of staff up till today, we can’t be deceiving ourselves, there is a lot of problems in the state but when we put our house in order as a party, we will talk more on these issues in our state.”
He appealed to PDP members to embrace peace and disclosed that consultations and engagement would continue in bringing every warring groups together for a vibrant opposition in the state.
He also revealed that the former governor of the state, Chief Segun Oni , alongside others who left for the Social Democratic Party last year have concluded plans to return to the PDP.
Reacting,the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) , Segun Dipe who faulted the criticism said the governor has not committed any offence in not having full cabinet members, adding that the APC government has remained committed to the welfare of the people.
Dipe said, “What the governor has been doing in the state capital is not patching of roads but urban renewal, the PDP may not know this because they didn’t do it. It beyond the roads, when you move around, you will see the streetlights working perfectly, that is the business of government to maintain infrastructure and guarantee security.
“Let me correct the PDP that the governor appointed commissioners and Special Advisers last year who are running the affairs of governance in the state. If you say he has not completed it, then there is no harm in that.
“I want to say that payment of salaries and pensions are dividends of democracy , the PDP chose what they see.”
On the issue of committee for political appointments, the APC spokesman said the governor consulted widely through the committee with stakeholders in the state , towards giving the people the sense of belonging in the administration.
