By Kola Onifade
First, a new word has been coined to explain APC’s loss: “stomach infrastructure.” By this, APC revisionists denigrate Ekiti voters as unappreciative of the “lofty achievements” of Kayode Fayemi. To these people, the average Ekiti voter is a lover of food. Just like the Cretians whom Apostle Paul called “slow bellies” in his epistle to Titus. Or, in simple language, gluttons. They are either carried away by the bags of rice distributed by the Fayose Campaign Organization or content with a government that distributes largess instead of investing in their future. What gratuitous insult! However, this argument is quick to gloss over the fact that Fayemi also distributed bags of rice to con the voters.
Second, there was an argument that the election, though free was not fair. Then I asked whether electoral districts were drawn to exclude some voters (gerrymandering) or voters register was tampered with, or there was ballot stuffing, ballot box snatching or thugs on the payroll of the victor who unleashed violence on peaceful Ekiti voters? To all of these, the response was negative. The election was peaceful, voters turnout was huge, INEC’s logistics was unimpeachable. We got it right. So right that the United States Embassy commended the conduct of that election.
Recall that months to that election, the APC had openly boasted to “rig and roast” its opponents. The party saw itself as the party to beat. The noise about the violence to be unleashed on the opposition was so much that the United States Embassy had to issue a statement condemning the APC. The internet was awash with paid (Fayemi engaged unemployed youths as bloggers on a regular payroll) writers who inundated us with news of how the election was a forgone conclusion. They presented the APC as a reincarnation of the First Republic’s Action Group, the Second Republic’s Unity Party of Nigeria or the Third Republic’s Social Democratic Party. They present their hero/ national leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a reincarnation of Obafemi Awolowo. Part of the argument was that Tinubu “liberated” the Southwest from the rampaging Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A lie when repeated, gets believed by its peddlers. The APC believed its lies. Its leaders carried themselves with an arrogance unexpected of people holding power in trust for the common man. Stories abound of how the common wealth has been cornered by these brigands parading as friends of the people. Given the prebendal nature of our politics, praise singers and boot lickers are never in short supply. They massaged the APC leaders’ ego. In turn, they got paid handsomely.
A group that has over time presented itself to be used in exchange for filthy lucre is the “civil society activists.” This group consists of a motley group of unemployed, unemployable hustlers who have mastered the art of rabble rousing. They have been useful as “election analysts and monitors” who sometimes doubled as riggers and ballot box stuffers. Unfortunately for the APC, the opposition has mastered its art of rigging; and was able to checkmate the party. So, when the “civil society activists” swamped us with stories of how the PDP candidate was already thumb printing ballot papers on the eve of the election discerning readers knew it was a lie.
Closely tied to the second argument, and probably arising from it is that the PDP used federal might (by using massive police and soldiers presence) to intimidate voters. An eclectic mix of “civil society activists”, hired bloggers and “friends of Fayemi” used the Facebook and other social media to raise false alarms about happenings on the eve of election. They regaled us with stories of how APC leaders were being arrested by the military and that even the governor had been placed under house arrest. (A statement from the governor’s Chief Press Secretary debunked that claim). One person named Sola Salako deserves particular mention. She is a “friend of Fayemi.” She used the social media to raise an alarm about the whereabouts of Abimbola Daramola, Director General of Fayemi’s Campaign Organization. Response to her posting on Facebook was indicative of the peoples’ mood. Some asked what she was doing in Ekiti as a non-indigene (beats me how they know her state of origin!); some asked whether she was planning to rig the election; one person said that she should have been arrested!
The peoples’ mood is easily gauged by the discerning observer. That is, a person not obsessed with hearing his/her own voice. This takes us to the fourth argument that Fayose is a rogue. APC apologists even compare the rejection of Fayemi and the election of Fayose to the Jews’ rejection of Jesus and the consequent acceptance of Barnabas! How cheeky! To these APC apologists, Fayose was removed from office for corrupt practices. He has an ongoing case with the EFCC. he is therefore unelectable. To this, I say: show me the saint in the APC. But more than this, the APC betrays its failure to read the tea leaves. It has been carried away by the cacophony of sycophants and bootlickers that it hardly noticed the genuine love and affection Ekiti people have for Fayose.
Fayose cultivated and wooed Ekiti over the years. Prior to his first election as governor, Fayose cultivated the image of a genuine lover of the people. He carried on as one of them. He had no airs about him. He was earthy and approachable. When Fayose became governor, he was a friend of the common folks. As a result, the elite (professors, wealthy business men, some traditional rulers and professionals) disdained him. That was the genesis of Fayose’s branding as a thug. As a reaction to the unveiled elite disdain for him, Fayose carried on with a bruised ego and a readiness to bring down the elite from its lofty height. He talked down on those who expected him to respect their office, age or achievement. However, he related with the common men as one of them. Fayose would ride an okada; stop on the road side to buy bean cake (akara) and eat with the people around; go into a buka to buy amala and pay for those eating at the time.
Even when removed from office, Fayose remained in his Afao Ekiti country home. He did not live in Lagos or Ghana like the APC governors of Osun or Ekiti. He had no airs about him unlike those who vaunt their Ph.D or deep knowledge of Orunmila. His people genuinely loved him. Shouts of “Oshokomole” rent the air whenever Fayose enters an event with people scampering to catch a glimpse of him. Never mind the fact that such grand entries were carefully choreographed by his supporters to steal the show.
He understood the language of politics. Nigerian politics. His candidacy resonated with the people. Attempts to compare Fayose’s grassroots appeal to Rauf’s is laughable at best. Maybe Rauf mastered the art of Alimosho grassroots politics. In Osun State, Rauf is an alien who like the outgoing governor of Ekiti empowered aliens. Osun people will never overlook that fact.
Compared to Senator Iyiola Omisore, Rauf is not approachable. He is an all-knowing repository of wisdom. Besides, he surrounds himself with political appointees from Lagos. In Senator Omisore’s apparatchiki are seasoned local and grassroots politicians.
People who understand the pulse of the local folk. People who live amongst their people. People who were born, schooled, grew up, worked, married, and contested for political offices in Osun State. People like Akogun Lere Oyewumi from Ikire, Irewole LG, Hon. Bade Falade from Ejigbo, Hon. Adejare Bello from Ede North, Hon. Funmi Olaseide from Ifedayo LG, Aremo Kunle Alao a.k.a. Lele from Inisa, Odo Otin LG, Aare Sogo Agboola from Obokun, Ayo Olowofoyeku a.k.a. Foyeh from Ilesa LG, Hon. Jelili Adesiyan, a.k.a. Jalo from Ode Omu in Ayedaade LG and Alhaji Ganiyu Olaloluwa a.k.a. Asejere from Olorunda LG.
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