2022: Ebira community makes case for Ekiti South, appeals to Fayemi, Adebayo to consider district for governorship ticket

From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

The Ebira people living in the Southern District of Ekiti State have appealed to the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to ensure that a capable hand from the South Senatorial District succeeds him in the 2022 governorship election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The people are an ethno-linguistic group of central Nigeria who are predominantly farmers, working and residing in their multitudes in Ekiti South and Ondo North in Ekiti and Ondo States respectively with Okene, Kogi State as their administrative headquarters.

In a statement made available to Daily Sun on Sunday, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ebira people in Ekiti South Senatorial District, speaking through one of their leaders, Hon. Salaudeen Yunusa, at a Consultative meeting held with the Special Assistant to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Ethnic Relations, Hon. Sulaiman Nasiru, said having lived and worked in Ekiti State for over 50 years, they are now part of the stakeholders whose opinion on politics and the general state of affairs in Ekiti should not be ignored.

“We are a large group of people living and farming in this environment. We have lived here for over 50 years. We are now sons and daughters of the soil. Our children have married Ekiti people. We are strong stakeholders here. We strongly believe in fairness and equity considering a Governor has never emerged from the South Senatorial District since the creation of Ekiti State. Governor Fayemi is a man of principle who believes and always does the right thing when it comes to equity and fairness.

“We have all decided in favour of the ruling APC Government. Our sympathy is for the APC but we have a demand: The governorship candidate of the APC for the 2022 election should emerge from Ekiti South in the interest of fairness, equity and justice. Governor Fayemi and Minister of Industry,Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, have the political will in Ekiti to achieve this and make history.

“75% of Ebira people in Ekiti State live and work in Ekiti South. We want one of our own. We want a face-lift in our infrastructures. We want one of us who will provide security for us and protect us from marauding herdsmen destroying our farm lands on daily basis”, Yunusa, said.

In his response, Nasiru thanked the people of the community for the warm reception accorded him and appealed to them to maintain peace.

The governor’s aide hinted that plans were being made to stop the excesses of the Fulani herders, assuring that their complaints shall be officially conveyed to the governor for quick intervention.