• Seeks Special Recognition for Okekere Quarters , Says It’s Aberration for State Legal Adviser To Seek Another Term As Exco After 8 Years
A former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Wale Ayeni has called on the party leaders and Stakeholders in the state to consider strong positions for the Okekere quarters of Ikere- Ekiti in the State Working Committee (SWC) during the forthcoming state Congress of the party.
Ayeni who addressed a stakeholders meeting in Ikere attended by PDP leaders and members in Ekiti South senatorial district said any position being zoned to the district should be conceded for the community in the interest of fairness and justice.
He said, ”
1. Distinguished leaders of our great party from Ikere and leaders of Ekiti south senatorial and Ekiti state here present. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to this interactive meeting.
2. I am here this morning to make a passionate appeal to all concerned leaders of PDP in Ekiti state and in Ekiti south senatorial district to kindly consider my local government ( Ikere and by extension my community), for a strong State party position among those coming to Ekiti south senatorial district in this coming dispensation based on the following:
3. Ikere is very important and strategic in Ekiti political settings.
4. Ikere local government is the second highest voter in Ekiti state after Ado.
5. During 2023 presidential/ national assembly elections, PDP performed creditably well in Ikere Ekiti.
6. Despite the fact that the incumbent Deputy Governor and top APC brass in Ekiti state are from Ikere, PDP won the house of Reps election in Ikere, we only lost the senatorial election with 39 votes to APC.
7. Therefore, conceeding a strong party position coming to Ekiti south Senatorial district to ikere in this coming dispensation will rejig the party activities for better performances of PDP in the 2026 governorship election, which is very paramount to the survival of PDP in Ekiti state.
8. Distinguished leaders, in the same vein and in the spirit of justice and fairness, I want to appeal to our party leaders in Ikere Ekiti to reciprocate Okekere community gestures towards PDP over the years.
9. Let me start with 2014 to date. My community (Okekere) gave PDP the highest votes in Ikere.
10. We did the same thing during the 2015, 2019, and the 2023 State assembly, national assembly, and presidential elections.
11. Distinguished leaders, it is on record that one beautiful legacy laid by Ikere leaders such as Late Evangelist Olumilua and Late Chief Dayo Okondo in Ikere politics was the issue of rotation of power by the 3 quarters namely Okekere, Odo oja and Uro quarters.
12. One fact in Ikere politics is that the very day anyone assumes office for 4 years, he or she is very much aware that the same position is going to the next quarter in the next 4 years.
13. It is very unfortunate that this rotation suddenly stopped in 2016, with the Uro quarter occupying the position for the past 8 years. How can the same Uro quarter after spending 8 years be yearning for another 4 years again in the same State Exco of PDP to make 12 years in office while the other quarters look on?
14. The Okekere community was deprived of the slot during Barr Gboyega Oguntuase tenure, Bisi Kay tenure, Architect Obanoyen tenure, and Engr Alaba Agboola’s tenure.
15. For equity and justice, Okereke community can not be denied the opportunity again for another 4 years, most especially that this community remains the strongest hold of PDP in the ikere local government area.
16. It is on this basis that am appealing to our leaders in Ikere who are living witnesses of how we used to converge in the sitting room of Late Chief Dayo Okondo to ensure fair play and give no room for perversion of justice in Ikere politics.
17. Fairness and equity are legacies that have kept Ikere as one United family, irrespective of our political affiliations.
18. The most turbulent in the history of this party was in 2002 when Ayo Fayose nominated Surveyor Abiodun Aluko to replace Otunba Akog as the state youth leader of PDP in Ekiti state, but Ikere leaders vehemently rejected his pleas and insisted that the turn of Uro quarter can not be sacrificed for Odo oja.
19. That was how and why Late Chief Tami from Uro quarter emerged as the state youth leader of PDP to fulfil all righteousness.
20. Therefore, I am passionately appealing today to our esteemed party leaders in Ikere that we should not destroy but respect the legacies of our fore fathers like Evangelist Olumilua, Dr Folayan, Chief Jongbo and Late Chief Dayo Okondo on the smooth organisation of Ikere politics.
21. We appreciate my darling brother, the present occupant of the State Legal Adviser, who has served the party meritoriously as the legal officer for the past 8 years. His asking for additional 4 years again to make it 12 years for him in Ekiti SWC, will be a total aberration to laid down regulations and a disservice to the good people of Okekere community whose turn have been continuously shortchanged on 2 different occasions to his advantage.
22. Distinguished leaders, by the special grace of God almighty, it is on this premises that I want to humbly appeal to our party leaders to give my community a chance to serve our senatorial district in the state working committee (swc) in the next dispensation.
23. My Community Okereke is blessed with politicians who have garnered enough experience over the years and hence have enough capable hands for this task ahead.
24. It is on this premises that I humbly request and appeal to the esteemed leaders of our great party that my community should be considered for a strong state working committee position in 2024 to 2028 PDP calendar year.”
