Governor Oyebanji appeals to Segun Oni to return to APC
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has appealed to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the June 18 poll, Mr. Segun Oni, to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oyebanji, on a visit to Oni’s Ifaki-Ekiti country home, urged him and his supporters to return to the APC where they truly belong and join hands with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to develop the country.
“I am pleading with you sir, now that the party you suffered for, where you were Deputy National Chairman, is now in the center, I want you to consider coming back home. Asiwaju Tinubu needs every good head, every good hand to succeed and he is from this zone of the country and when Segun Oni is not in the basket, the basket is not full. I’m pleading with you in the interest of our people, in the interest of Yoruba nation, in the interest of Nigeria,” he said.
On why he visited the former governor, Oyebanji said the visit was in fulfillment of his pledge to personally call and visit Oni, whom he described as a leader for whom he had great respect.
“I am here to debunk the notion that you don’t return from the court and become friends. I am here to greet my senior brother and my leader whom I have great respect for. For me, I believe litigation is part of the electoral process and I appreciate His Excellency for pursuing the electoral matter up till the apex court and not recourse to self-help,” Oyebanji said.
He also informed Oni of his intention to set up a Council of former governors whose objective would be to drive the development of the state, advise the incumbent on the best way to run the state from their wealth of experiences.
“I gave advice sometimes when you were governor that why don’t we have a conclave of former governors, a replica of Council of State in Ekiti where all former governors will sit down, give advice and assess the government. You said it was a good idea that you would do it, but you could not achieve it because of the verdict. But now that I have found myself in the saddle, we have to create that conclave of all former Governors irrespective of political parties where we will sit down quarterly and discuss, share ideas, proffer solution and take assignments on behalf of who is Governor for us to do nationally.
“As a governor, I consult with all the former governors, in fact, I consult more with Governor Fayose than with Fayemi and Adebayo. Why, because I went through the tutelage of Adebayo and Fayemi. So, on any issue, I have an idea of what they will do so I don’t even bother them that much. But I did not have the opportunity of working with Governor Fayose. So, I usually call him to seek his opinion on some issues and he would readily oblige me. I have that relationship with him and I want to have the same with you. I want to be able to consult you, seek your opinion on some knotty issues,” Oyebanji added.
Oni thanked the governor for the visit, which he said goes to confirm the fact that Ekiti development was of paramount interest to him.
The former governor stressed the need to build a virile Ekiti State based on unity of purpose because Ekiti was already left behind among comity of states, and all hands should be on deck to reposition the state by making all communities, development centers to engender true development.
