Senator Ayo Arise, one of the aspirants in the APC for Ekiti guber election in July, has taken on the state’s party leader and Solid Minerals Minister Kayode Fayemi over his nuanced statement about late declaration.
The former chairman of the Senate committee on privatisation said on Monday in Ado Ekiti that he and other aspirants who had declared before Fayemi are no lawbreakers as Fayemi is trying ti portray them.
“The statement credited to former Governor Kayode Fayemi that he decided to tarry a while before declaring for the governorship position to prevent him from flouting the Electoral Act only portrayed those who had earlier declared as lawbreakers,” he said.
“INEC only gives guidelines to checkmate violence and a party is not dutypbound to wait for INEC before mobilizing.”
He said declaration of intent is not an open campaign but a step by any party members to strengthen the party’s popularity.
According to him , he is well aware of the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 which stipulates that aspirants can only campaign 90 days to the election.
“So the statement that all other aspirants are not law abiding is not good enough. Fayemi is the leader of the party,’ he said.
“It could have been more dignified if he had said he was coming late because of his status as a minister.”
Arise, however, cautioned this is an election the APC must win, and no individual should try to ascribe wisdom to himself.
” I will advise him not to use or do anything that would make him look smarter than all of us,” he said.
That the state’s party leader is also aspiring poses no problem for him.
“All of us are eminent Ekiti indigenes.” he said.
No fewer than 30 aspirnts have showed intention to grab the state top job.
And, so far, a number of them have declared intention, among whom are Banidele Opeyemi, Babfemi Ojudu, Arise, and others.
The brickbats between the APC aspirants belie their earlier resilve to untie, and can also be sending a wrong signal to party supporters.
The apirants, according to Opeyemi, had stated weeks ago they were ready to work together to deliver Ekiti to the APC.