Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Ahead of the annual cultural festival tagged ‘Udiroko’, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, where all sons and daughters of the town, traditional rulers, friends, associates and all prominent politicians gather together in celebration of the cultural heritage, the town has been wrapped up in tension.
The tension began, on Monday, as All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders traded tackles over alleged plan to unleash violence during the festival.
Following the rebuff of 17 prominent monarchs in Ekiti by governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who inaugurated the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Alabi Adebanji as the chairman, Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers in spite of the rejection of the development by the prominent monarchs who had dragged the Governor to court on grounds that Alawe’s appointment runs foul of the state’s Chieftaincy laws, there have been speculation s that the aggrieved monarchs would either boycott Udiroko or resist Alawe from parading himself as their leader.
Alleging that the PDP was planning to cause mayhem during the event, APC in a statement by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Elder Sam Oluwalana, said: “We have it on good authority that a former governor of the state wants to hide under the Udiroko festival to attempt to launch himself back into the politics of the state having failed woefully to achieve this through the ballot.
“The former governor and his cohorts having been traumatised by the gale of unprecedented achievements of the present administration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, are now attempting to make a return to the politics of the state through the back door.
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“He is aware that his antics while in the saddle for four years during which he selfishly allocated the wealth of the state to himself and immediate family have been exposed,” the party said.
Replying APC, Spokesman to former Governor Fayose, Lere Olayinka, said: ” We are not in the habit of dignifying lowlife and people living with guilt of forcing themselves on Ekiti.
“It is obvious that more than two years after manipulating themselves to power, they are still afraid of the shadow of Ayo Fayose, a man whose footprints will remain on the sands of Ekiti forever.
“Rather than jumping up and down, spinning lies against Fayose, who is moving on with his life after serving Ekiti diligently, Governor Fayemi and his APC elections riggers should concentrate on making meaningful impacts in the State, because, almost one year has been wasted already out the four years that was stolen for them.
“Also, Fayemi should endeavor to give the Udiroko Festival the same level glamour and attention it was given by the Fayose led PDP government instead of looking for a cheap way to stay away from the festival as he is planning to do”.
