Ekiti State Governorship Aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Kayode Adaramodu, has said that the South Senatorial District of Ekiti must produce the  next Governor of the State in the June 18, 2022 election.

He made his position known on Wednesday during the ‘Ekiti South Conference towards 2022 Governorship Election’, held in Ado-Ekiti, the State Capital and convened by the Ekiti Concerned Citizens Group (ECCG), a group of accomplished Ekiti indigenes who are largely made up of retired Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Political Office holders, under the leadership of Comrade Femi Babalola. 

According to Adaramodu, “my agitation for a more developed Ekiti South Senatorial District dated back to 2010 when I launched an attempt to represent the people of Ekiti South at the Senate. My campaign manifesto at the time accurately captured the pains and the level of deprivation in Ekiti Southern Senatorial District. My desire was to promote a collaborative platform and an effective representation that could help in addressing the issues affecting the zone”.

“It is time to challenge the status quo in Ekiti political landscape”, Adaramodu insisted. He argued that the six Local Governments in Ekiti South Senatorial District are blessed with suitable sons and daughters that have all it takes to provide leadership for the State. “In my home town of Ilawe Ekiti alone, there are several qualified sons and daughters for the job of a governor”.

He recalled his conversation with Engineer Segun Oni, his political leader, ahead of the 2014 governorship election when he approached the former governor to seek a second tenure. According to Adaramodu, “my fair-minded Oga Segun told me that it is the turn of the South to produce the next governor and we should all support a southern candidate for justice, equity and fairness. On the basis of this fair and patriotic advice, I went ahead to provide support to Prince Dayo Adeyeye. Sadly, the South is yet to produce a governor since then.”

Adaramodu challenged the people of Ekiti South to demonstrate a high level of seriousness towards producing a governor of our dear State by allowing charity to begin at home. He encouraged aspirants from both People Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) to ensure that only one aspirant from the South is presented at the respective party primaries.

He quoted pages 7 & 8 of *the Blueprint for the Creation Ekiti State* that emphasised Power Sharing on the basis of *Zoning* in the spirit of justice, fairness and equity. In his words, “I am surprised that the current Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji, the representative of the younger generation in the State Creation Committee and a principal signatory to the Blueprint is aspiring to violate the same document he signed. That is not a virtue of a true Ekiti man that I believe the SSG is.”

The conference was attended by Royal Fathers and political bigwigs from the Southern Senatorial District of Ekiti, including aspirants on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Other prominent politicians at the event were Senator representing Ekiti South, Chief Mrs Biodun Olujimi; former Works Minister and Senator, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; former Speaker and serving member of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Bamisile;  Special Adviser to the Governor on Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery, Professor Mobolaji Aluko; Former Deputy Governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka (represented by his DG); Commissioner for Infrastructures and Public Utilities, Hon Bamidele Faparusi;  ex-Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Debo Ranti Ajayi. 
Others include; Former Acting Governor, Rt. Hon Tunji Odeyemi,; Former Deputy Governor, Surv. Biodun Aluko(represented); ex-Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Omirin;  ex- Commissioner for Lands, Mr Remi Olorunleke, Commissioner in the Public Complaints Commission, Mr Kayode Bamisile. The happy supporters of the Special Adviser to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Federal Matters, Mr Makinde Araoye also graced the occasion.