Why Olusola will defeat Fayemi

ALL eyes are on Prof. Kolapo Olusola the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the coming election in Ekiti State because he is undoubtedly, the candidate to beat. The reasons are many. To start with, he has competently and patriotically discharged his duties as the current deputy governor of the state. This is clear, even to the blind, as the state which is dubbed “The Fountain of Knowledge” rose to the occasion as far as education, its main industry, is concerned under the able supervision of Prof. Olusola. The exploits in this sector will be enumerated later. To say Olusola’s impending electoral victory is divinely approved, is stating the obvious. His main rival, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thank God, blew the opportunity given him to lead the state from 2010 to 2014. According to documents from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the National Bureau of Statistics among others, Fayemi collected N165 billion as monthly allocations, excluding regular funds from Excess Crude Oil Account, grants, internally-generated revenues among others, but Fayemi still took N25 billion bond and N35 billion commercial loans with nothing to show for the funds. In 2011, Fayemi got N40.5 billion as monthly statutory allocations. In 2012, he got N39.8 billion. In 2013, he got N44.3 billion and in 2014, he got N40.1 billion. But the Ayodele Fayose administration, in which Olusola is the deputy governor, got N28.2 billion in 2015, N18.8 billion in 2016 and N25.6 billion in 2017.

Apart from the above monthly allocations, Fayemi still got regular funds from the Excess Crude Oil Account, IGR among others. Despite what Fayemi got, he still borrowed N25 billion from the capital market and took N31 billion commercial loans. The question is, what did he do with the money? Nothing. The N25 billion bond and commercial loans, through which he mortgaged the finances of the state for 20 years, were spent on nothing. He proposed an event centre, it was never completed. He said he would build a new Governor’s Office, he only scraped a parcel of land near the House of Assembly Complex and did nothing. His new Ojaba market, for which he erected a billboard at the entrance of the palace of Ewi, never saw the light of the day.

The table of funds received by Fayemi and Fayose given above are public documents available in the offices of the NBS, OAGF and even on their websites. People can go there and access. Moreover, people can see what the Fayose administration has done with the meagre resources at its disposal. After getting all the monies, Fayemi’s needless borrowings put the state in financial mess. He left two months workers’ salaries unpaid, while he also left eight months cooperative deductions from workers’ salaries unremitted to the various cooperative societies. His unbridled borrowings led to N1.1 billion being deducted monthly from the statutory  allocations of the state. The deductions will continue to 2036.

The Fayose administration, in which Olusola is the vice captain, has not recorded any political harassment not to say murder desp

ite intense provocation and blatant shenanigans. In today’s world, people don’t want a leader with needless airs about him. When you detach yourself from the people and feel that there is nobody comparable to you in a state brimming with intellectuals, then showing you the way to your father’s house is the appropriate thing. The people want a leader they can access and lean on,  and that they have found in Kolapo Olusola.   Olusola is a friend of artisans, drivers, okada operators, market women and various ethnic groups who have assured him of their support. He is a great learner and has mastered the art of identifying with the masses from his boss.

The creditable performance of Governor Fayose, in spite of the economic meltdown in the country, has placed Olusola in good stead to trounce his opponents in the coming election.  The administration has built a new Governor’s Office, new High Court Complex, Adunni Olayinka Women Development Centre, a flyover has been built. A new Ojaba market is almost completed. Roads in Emure, Ise, Efon, Ijero, Omuo, Afao, Ilawe, Ikere, Ikole, etc, have been dualised. Car Wash- Afao Road built, same for Dehead- Police Headquarters Road, among others. The teachers Fayemi planned to sack through a test, have been motivated and the state now ranks first in public examinations in the federation. The state came first in National Examinations Council (NECO) exams in 2016 and 2017.

In the examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) it recorded 73 per cent success in 2017. It has been recording 100 per cent pass in the School of Nursing and Midwifery examination conducted nationwide among many others. The people of the state know that this is the good trend that Prof Olusola will continue with when elected governor. Olusola is the choice of the people.

• Ogundare, a public analyst, writes in from Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti State.

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