Kayode Ojo, Ekiti APC and Bungled Declaration 

By Emmanuel Onwusoro 

One of the frontline aspirants for the Ekiti 2026 gubernatorial election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Engr. Kayode Ojo, whose entry into Ado-Ekiti on Thursday was heralded with tumultuous funfair by his supporters, could not formally declare his ambition to be in the race and take part in the forthcoming primary election as the leaders of the APC who were expected to receive him were absent at the party secretariat, Ado-Ekiti, when the aspirant arrived about four in the afternoon.

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The ominous sign began as early as seven o’clock Thursday morning as the major ever-busy roads in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, were devoid of the usual ubiquitous availability of taxis, mini-buses, otherwise known as ‘akoto’ in Yoruba parlance, as well as the commercial motorcyclists, known as ‘ okada’ riders. 

This caused many commuters to be stranded at the various bus stops. But despite the frustrating atmosphere, the aspirant’s loyalists found their way to the venue.

Mobility was also facilitated by motorists, motorcyclists and others who sensing the trend decided to ply the various routes to lift supporters to the venue. 

It was equally apparent that even a good number of the loyalists defied every ‘stumbling block’ by trekking to the venue not minding the distance.

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The supporters who had massed up at the aspirant’s situation office on Ikere road, Ado-Ekiti, very early in the morning and later in the day shifted to Ado-Ekiti, awaiting his entry to the state from Akure airport were distraught and disappointed after waiting for long hours in vain at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, where the aspirant was to be formally received by the chairman and other officials of the party.

In an interview with journalists, the aspirant said he was not ruffled by the state of affairs. 

He remarked that the leaders of the party who were to attend to him at the secretariat, but were absent should see themselves as neutral or unbiased umpires rather than choosing to demonstrate their loyalty to the incumbent governor. 

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Engineer Ojo alleged that roadblocks were placed at strategic points to debar people from coming to be part of his reception and visit to the APC state secretariat.

The aspirant posited that no matter what happened he will not back out of the contest pointing out that politics is local. 

He enjoined his supporters and other members of the party to go to their wards for mobilization in preparation for the D-Day. 

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According to him, it is the people that will vote that matters.

Observers say the formal visit of the aspirant to the party secretariat has doused the speculations surrounding his participation in the race. 

Engineer Ojo’s assumed late entry into the gubernatorial contest is viewed by many in APC camp as against the run of play- an unexpected development.

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Moreso, his being tagged”, an ‘estranged’ member of the APC immediately after the 2022 governorship election, was one of the allegations levelled against him before the leadership of the APC in Abuja by his party members at home.

Also, his being seen as the main challenger to the incumbent has continued to ruffle the political waters in the Ekiti APC.

Curiously, later in the day, it was reported that the National Working Committee (NWC), of the party had disqualified Engineer Ojo from taking part in the primary election on the grounds that he was not among those screened by the primary election screening panel. 

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This measure, according to the report could be to nip in the bud any likely factionalisation of the Ekiti APC, thereby robbing the party of the 2026 gubernatorial election.

If this development is anything to go by, then the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji and one other aspirant, Omolayo Oluremi, that scaled through the screening will feature at the primary election. But we are in politics, where anything can still happen.

Emmanuel Onwusoro writes from Ado Ekiti

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