Secondly is the rather silly notion Ekiti people voted for rice, Fayemi lost because he did not engage in stomach infrastructure. At first I was infuriated at the carpet insult thrown at the people of Ekiti, now I am just amused reading such views.
Do these people know Ekiti Kete at all? I doubt it very much! Is it the same Ekiti Kete who embraced Fayemi as I did in 2010 whose vote can now be purchased with a bag of rice in 2014? Did Fayemi not distribute rice, promise to pay allowances to civil servants he refused to pay for months at the last minute? Yet he lost even in Ado Ekiti, where you have many civil servants. So, civil servants can be bribed with bags of rice? Obas, he promised cars could be bought with rice? Even the people of Fayemi’s LG discarded tiwa ntiwa political spirit of the Yoruba for a bag of 2KG rice? Such pedestrian thinking!
Now before these crying-more-than-the-bereaved online politicians continue their insult on the proud people of Ekiti State let me highlight some of Fayemi’s many actions which lost him the seat, for the benefit of those honestly wondering why Ekiti Kete chose a Fayose over a Fayemi and hopefully those so detached from reality will learn while the memory of some suffering from selective and none selective amnesia will be upgraded.
Anyone who knows how SW politics works will know Fayemi began losing Ekiti State after his Party lost election in Ondo State. Ondo, and Ekiti Kete are cousins. The people of Ekiti saw real development which touched the lives of the people happening in Ondo. Some in Ekiti actually travelled to next door Ondo to enjoy free medical services in well equipped well staffed hospitals. What happened to Fayemi’s provision of healthcare facilities in the State? Or does provision of decent free or affordable healthcare amount to “stomach infrastructure”?
It is funny some have forgotten or do not know that this same Fayemi led a government which clamped down on opposition in the State. Have we forgotten so soon the arrest and detention of ogbeni Lere Olayinka an online blogger or the killing of Ogundare in Emure, beatings and maiming of opposition supporters? Fayemi’s government has a record of 11 killings with the APC State Chairman and a member of Ekiti State House of Assembly currently standing trial for murder! Na true, rice noni! For me, this was when Fayemi lost my respect. I do not expect such actions from someone who professes to being a human rights activist! When you wage a war against grass root politicians, the people fight back!
Failure to build and maintain ‘local content’ political structure. In Fayemi’s nearly 4 years in government did not conduct local government elections, he had NO structure in the LGs to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. This action now bites him back at election time. Rather than build a local structure he chose instead to rely on weekend/Christmas/Ileya “abroad based” politicians to deliver local votes! Fayose on the other hand kept his structure well maintained even while out of office.
Local owned businesses suffered with Fayemi’s penchant to award contracts to his “abroad” based friends. Again, no local content! Local business suffered and poverty grew. Businessmen and women who had mouths to feed, provided employment to the people were sidelined except you are part of the clique.
Fayemi’s relationship with civil servants in the State? Non payment of 27.5% Teachers TSS, Health workers CONHESS, Medical workers CONMESS, and other allowances that were being paid before he assumed office, Fayemi refused to pay. Till date he owes Workers Cooperatives Funds for March, April and May. Maybe it is the 2KG bag of rice which swayed these workers to reject him outrightly! Nansense, Ekiti Kete o je iresi ri ke? (Ekiti people have not eaten rice before?)
Teachers forced to undertake competency test. Without commensurate support or reward structure put in place? Teachers who barely can survive on their meagre salary were given laptops and the cost of such deducted from their salary. This was done without consultation or agreement of teachers.
In Fayemi’s 3+ years it was one battle after the next with teachers and other civil servants in the State. Is it these voting groups you think were swayed by Fayose’s rice? Think again!
How about the students denied payment of their bursaries for years? Or students whose parents can barely afford the exorbitant fees in State run tertiary institutions? Maybe you believe that Ekiti is some remote area immune from the news of what students in LASU are currently going through under Fashola, after being voted in for a second term. No o, iresi ni!
What effect do you think the invasion of Ekiti by Fayemi’s political friends and owner of APC had on the people of Ekiti? Tinubu is a political liability in the SW now,take it or leave it. Like Ondo, like Ekiti. We do not like invasions!!
We also do not like our Obas insulted. Monkey e no fine but hin mama like am. You do not insult the Elekole and expect Ikole people to vote for you. Hence the high number of votes Fayose received in a local government supposedly an APC stronghold.
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Finally, Fayemi leads an extremely elitist anti masses government. The same masses voted him out and voted for one they consider one of them. Not an “abroad” politician. These same people insulting Ekiti Kete of “rice voting” or whatever failed to see Fayose’s kind gesture of replacing Okadas destroyed by APC supporters a week to the election, the next day. This news spread like wild fire across the land. A people thirsting for one who feels their pain finally see such a person and you think they will reject him? Maybe it was ‘Okada voting’
Ekiti Kete do not consider billion Naira per kilometre costing roads, beautification of town centre, tourist centres all at ridiculously high costs more important than being able to feed their families, send their children and wards to school, have suitable healthcare facilities. When they feel their money is being siphoned out of their State to feed the families of Fayemi’s “abroad” friends, surely they will give Fayemi the red card. Ekiti Kete are proud people, education is very important to them. This is why Ekiti, likewise Ondo are places you cannot speak ill of Papa Awolowo. Take this away from them, they send you away! Simple as ABC. At the last WASSCE examinations, Ekiti State was struggling with States like Zamfara and Yobe to come last! “Stomach infrastructure” you say? No!
Many of the critics of the people of Ekiti are so far from reality, so distant from those they claim to be fighting for it is now amusing. Also It appears SW leaders in the APC did not learn important lessons from the defeat of the AD in all but one State in in their control in 2003. The same elitist anti people, pro friends and associates aloof to the people government they ran then they embrace again. So while you unjustly lampoon the people of Ekiti for exercising their democratic right to choose who leads them, the same right they exercised in Lagos where Fashola also distributed rice in 2011 and we did not hear Lagosians being accused of “stomach infrastructure” voting look in the mirror and ask yourself the following questions and give yourself honest answers:-
1 – Do you know the people of Ekiti well enough, do you know their pains? Can you honestly say Fayemi’s “development” is sufficient to earn him a second term when people are starving, have no access to healthcare facilities, jobs and a stagnant local economy you want them to contend with, for another 4 years?
2- Did you call on Fayemi, publicly or privately to advise he runs a government with human face and address the above issues? Is it not one who has not starved to death and is healthy that will use billion Naira roads and appreciate a beautified town centre?
If your answers to the above is no, then hold your criticism of the people and mind your business! The people have exercised their democratic right, respect it. Fayemi has asked, ewo wa ni tiyin? (What then is your business)
I have picked up a few things from the Ekiti elections though.
1 – Many of the online noisemakers know jack about SW politics. Just noise noise. For them not to see the handwriting on the wall in Ekiti and work to avert it..?. Chai!!
2 – Many of these noisemakers have no local content! Ariwo o mu vote dani!
3 – Propaganda o ta mo oo (Propaganda no longer sells) performance is it now!
4 – The level of bitterness and anger being exhibited is worrying. Is this how APC and their supporters see democracy – You must obey our desire or you are abused cursed and vilified? O lagbara oo! Ara se wa nta yin bayi? (Why the bitterness)
5 – Ehen, those of you hoping to be “friend of the governor”, dusting your CV or business proposals for Fayose or with proposals before him, e pele ooo..e lo wa se ‘mi lati se. (look elsewhere) na una no dey do “stomach infrastructure” politics, abi?
I have given you pointers. Next stop is Osun State. The tsunami is moving across the SW as it did in 2003. Before you accuse the people of Osun of engaging in “stomach infrastructure” politics. Please note, when it comes to government without human face, an elitist government run by “abroad” friends,a government at loggerheads with the groups with voting power in the State, Aregbesola is at par with Fayemi. With State debt currently at 300billion Naira and rising, 1.1billion per kilometre road construction, religious issue and Opon Omo controversy… Same faith awaits Aregbesola… If una like, warn am to change, if it will help by August.
While we do on the ground politicking. You can continue social media politicking. We have seen results. INEC do not count facebook votes or “abroad” endorsing.
Therefore get to work and quit the insults on the people of Ekiti State.
Again I wish Ekiti Kete and Fayose every success.
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