APC messed up in Ekiti, now it has one last chance

After Kolapo Olusola-Eleka

Fayose jokingly said the PDP will keep Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa a little longer in Ado-Ekiti, so he can help with the APC primary election which had ended on a violent note hours prior.

“We will keep Okowa here till Friday to help APC, if not they will not have any candidate. They will still continue to beat themselves,” Fayose said.

“They can’t conduct congresses, they do not represent the minds of the masses”, he added.

It was typical Fayose. Forever acerbic. Always ready to stick the knife into the APC because that keeps him in the news.

By jokingly suggesting that the PDP will lend Okowa to the APC, Fayose was making a valid point.

Nasarawa Governor Tanko Al-Makura couldn’t prevent thugs from hijacking the APC primary election he oversaw on Saturday, May 5, 2018. With former Ekiti Governor and incumbent Solid Minerals minister, Kayode Fayemi, reportedly coasting home to victory, agents and thugs representing the other aspirants, went wild. It took security personnel to bring the situation under control and rein the thugs in.

The APC governorship primary in Ekiti was declared inconclusive minutes later amid rigging allegations

The APC sure has a lot to learn from how the PDP conducted its primary of May 8, 2018. However, it has to be said that the PDP had to choose from just a handful of aspirants and Fayose had done a good job of throwing everything behind his handpicked candidate who predictably went on to win. Essentially, It was always going to be a no-contest scenario in the PDP.

In contrast, the APC paraded 33 aspirants for one governorship ticket. In any case, the APC has no one else to blame but itself for not settling for consensus candidates and narrowing the field for party delegates.

The APC returns to the ballot in Ekiti on Saturday, May 12, 2018. The party should be ashamed of its first primary contest which turned out a complete shambles and embarrassing spectacle.

For the APC, Saturday provides another opportunity to get it right and remain a united house ahead of July 14; or kiss the chance of seizing government house Ekiti from Fayose, goodbye.

The choice is really the APC's to make. Saturday awaits.