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PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED ON WEDNESDAY, 27TH MAY 2009 BY THE GOVERNOR OF EKITI STATE, ENGR. SEGUN ONI ON ELECTIONS IN EKITI STATE



EKITI ELECTION:  WHERE ARE THE SAINTS?

There has been a lot of hues and cries; a cacophony of orchestrated falsehood, insinuations and misgivings since the conclusion of the Re-run Governorship Election on Tuesday, 5th May, 2009.
Most of the submissions and conclusions of the commentators and critics concerning the result of the election from Ido-Osi Local Government Area in particular were irritating and nauseating to say the least.
It has therefore become imperative to bring into clear perspective, with facts and figures, a few salient factors with emphasis on the voting pattern and history in Ido-Osi Local Government Area and the entire terrain known as Ekiti State today.

1.         VOTERS BEHAVIOUR/CRITICAL FACTS ON IDO-OSI

Since 1999 when this democratic dispensation started, all elections in Ido-Osi Local Government Area have been won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governorship Election Results – Ido-Osi LGA
Year
PDP Votes
% Total Votes Cast

1999
29,122
55.03

2003
18,217
61.22

2007/2009
15,939
80.77


Simply, Ido-Osi has been completely home to the PDP and has consistently been growing in influence and stature ever since, even when no Governorship candidate from the LGA contested.  In 2003, the trend did not change despite the people’s very low enthusiasm for the person of Ayo Fayose.
It should be noted that voters turnout was generally low; in 2009, lower than expected because of the threat to peace by the Action Congress.

2.         HOME ADVANTAGE

            The “Homeboy” Advantage for serious contenders of credence and credibility in their territorial base is a factor known to politics the world over.  For example, in the 1980 United State of America Presidential Election, Jimmy Carter won resoundingly in Georgia in what was a landslide election for Ronald Reagan.  Again, in the most recent 2008 US Presidential Election, Barrack Obama won overwhelmingly in Illinois while John McCain won in Arizona.
Candidate
Home LGA
Year
Votes Received
% Total Votes Cast

Chief M. A. Ajasin
Owo
1979
51,372
97.95

1983
88,250
98.40

Evan. Bamidele Olumilua
Ikere
1991
25,697
94.50

Otunba Niyi Adebayo
Irepodun / Ifelodun
1999
53,856
81.08




            Back home here in Nigeria, Chief Adekunle Ajasin from Owo, as UPN Governorship candidate in 1979 had 51,372 votes (97.95% of total votes in Owo LGA).  In 1983, he had 88,250 votes (98.40%)
            In 1991, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua from Ikere-Ekiti, as SDP Governorship candidate had 21,697 votes (94.5% of total votes in Ikere LGA).
            In 1999, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, from Iyin, as AD Governorship candidate had 53,856 votes (81.08% of Total Accepted votes in Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA).  It should be noted that in 1999, two LGAs, Irepodun/Ifelodun and Ikole, gave Adebayo (AD), 110,430 votes, (i.e. 36.8% of the total votes of 300,180) with which the party won the Governorship Election.
            In 2003, being from the same LGA, both Otunba Niyi Adebayo (AD) and Mr. Ayo Fayose (PDP) scored 100% of the votes cast in their respective home base.  Iyin (2wards) delivered 18,000+ votes for Adebayo.
            Again, in 2003, Mr. Femi Falana, NCP Governorship Candidate whose candidature was perceived by majority of the electorate as practically a non-issue had 11,049 votes in Ekiti South-West LGA (his home base), ahead of the AD and PDP candidates who were the very strong contenders.
            In 2007, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, AC Governorship candidate in his ward which comprises Isan (his home town), Ilafon and Ilemeso, scored 3,022 votes while I had 34 votes in a Ward of three towns.  This is probably “the most consistent” result in the world!.
Oye LGA (12 wards) 2007/2009: AC had a total of 11,337 votes out of which 3,022 (26.7%) came from only Fayemi’s Ward (three towns).  In Ido-Osi LGA (11 Wards) 2007/2009, PDP had a total of 15,939 votes out of which 7,375 (46.3%) came from Ifaki I and II (2 Wards).  The average (23.15%) of 11 Wards is still below the 26.7% of 12 wards recorded in fayemi’s ward.

VOTING CAPABILITY AND CONSISTENCY:

Data on Previous Voting in a few LGAs

LGA
1991
1999
2003
2007 / 2009

Ikere
27,192
7,034
23,945
13,185

Ado
15,464
22,893
42,155
26,312

Irepodun / Ifelodun
65,821
44,774
15,591

Ido-Osi
25,435
52,625
29.757
19,732

Ikole
27,418
71,715
43,376
13,014

Ekiti Southwest
14,435
22,721
29,670
14,662

Ekiti State Total
243,066
494,963
454,750
218,157

2007/2009 as % of
90%
44%
48%
100%

In 1991, the present Ifelodun/Irepodun LGA was part of Ado-Local Government.  Despite that, the total votes cast in Ikere LGA (27,192) was much higher than that of the then Ado Local Government Area which was 15,464. (Evangelist Olumilua, from Ikere was then a SDP Gubernatorial candidate), highest-ever voting from Ikere.  Even 16 years later, Ikere voted less than half of 1991 levels.
In 1999 Ado LGA returned 22,896 votes and Ifelodun/Irepodun LGA 65,821, (Ado LGA and Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA combined 88,000+ votes), Four Times the number of votes from the same area the previous eight years!
In 1999, Ikole LGA produced 71,715 votes, which is an increase of 161.5% (nearly three times) of the votes returned in the 1999 election to support Adebayo’s election.
Ekiti South West LG in 1991, delivered 14,434 votes. In 1999, it delivered 22,721 votes.  The votes returned from the LGA increased to 29,670 in 2003, the highest ever,   Total votes in the area in 2007 stood at 14,712.

The total number of votes cast in Ekiti in 1991 (when it was part of Ondo State) was 243,066.  As Ekiti State, the total votes recorded in the 1999 Elections was 494,963 (more than double the 1991 figures!).  454,750 votes were recorded in 2003, and in 2007, the figure dropped to less than 300,000 votes.
           
Let us take a cursory look at this scenario:  A State which recorded almost half a million votes in 1999, to have a little over one-quarter of a million in 2007/2009, despite increase in population and better political awareness – raises more question than answers.
           
From this appraisal of the voting patterns in this terrain over the last 20years, it is crystal clear that, the criticism or condemnation of the elections in 2007 and 2009 is sheer hypocrisy, utterly sanctimonious.  It would have been sensible if the intellectual warlords could reflect and retrospect objectively and see things in the right perspective.  The beneficiaries of the massive vote-fraud of the past are angry that they no longer own the terrain!
           
It is unfortunate that people who should know better have chosen to make themselves errand boys of these interests by readily lending themselves to the bandwagon of falsehood that stand logic on its head.
           
As we set to commemorate another democracy day, let us ponder about the future of democracy.  Let those who are destroying democracy and stifling the growth of democratic culture in the country, search their minds.
           
I am bold to assert that if the 2007 and 2009 elections are wrong, it means that all the past elections in the State are bizarre.  They stand against logic and demography.  Let us call the beneficiaries of these past elections to account.  They are alive and should explain.
           
I am also bold to affirm with absolute sincerity and conviction that the 2007 and 2009 election are the most consistent, the clearest and the fairest ever conducted in this terrain.  Where are the hypocrites who benefited from the concoctions and contraptions of the past only to play the ostrich now?

Let us all pray for Nigeria!

SEGUN ONI
GOVERNOR, EKITI STATE
27TH MAY, 2009