A socio-political pressure group, the Ekiti South Developmental Agenda on Monday staged a peaceful protest in Ikere Ekiti area of Ekiti state over the perceived marginalization of the Ekiti south senatorial in the forthcoming 2022 gubernatorial election.
Members of different political parties and party loyalists in the zone expressed their displeasure over the steps by the two prominent political parties in the state, PDP and APC towards not endorsing candidates from the southern region of the state.
Speaking, the convener of the Ekiti South Development Agenda Movement, Comrade Idowu Afuye berated the state’s party leaders over the marginalisation of the region by their north and central counterparts while maintaining that the zone will no longer settle for less and fold its arms while the region continued to be relegated in the affairs of who governs the state.
He said, “We believe it is high time Ekiti south produced the next governor of the state. It is unfortunate that the north and central constituencies are the ones rotating the seat of the governor in Ekiti and this is why the youths of this region have come out to say enough is enough.
“We are here to appeal to the power blocs in Ekiti State that the ticket should be zoned to Ekiti South. This has nothing to do with PDP or APC but we want both parties to present their candidates from our region”.
He further stated that the zone will not boycott the elections peradventure a southern candidate is not picked while reiterating that the zone will not accept the slot of deputy gubernatorial position.
Earlier, an APC Chieftain in Ekiti State, Barrister Olu Aluko said “It will not be fair if the two parties fail to pick their candidates from Ekiti south senatorial district.
He, however, applauded former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose for giving the south a chance to contest in the last governorship election by presenting Professor Olusola Eleka as the gubernatorial candidate.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
