No political party has succeeded in governing Ekiti State for two full terms in quick succession in the political history of the state. Since the state was carved out of the old Ondo State in October 1996 by Gen. Sani Abacha five governorship polls have taken place with no political party ever succeeding in winning the election back to back. This has become a herculean task as attempts by ruling parties in the past to maintain a stranglehold on the state have always proved abortive, with the opposition parties truncating the dream. So, power has been oscillating between the parties, thus preventing an unbroken two terms of eight years.
Unlike other states in the federation, Ekiti is regarded as a complex, sophisticated, and politically conscious state where power has rotated between the two major political parties since 1999. Ekiti people are always interested in national and local politics as a result of their level of education and exposure. So, a preponderance of the electorates is not always associated with long-term love or affection for political parties, rather they vote for personalities and are guided by emerging realities.
The lack of continuity syndrome dates back to the 2003 governorship poll when the current Minister of Trade, and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo of the defunct Alliance for Democracy failed to win his re-election bid. He was humiliated at the poll by the maverick former Governor Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) who was backed by then President Olusegun Obasanjo. Aside from Ekiti, Obasanjo’s PDP swept the polls in five out of the six states in the Southwest geo-political zone.
Fayose did not achieve much during his stay in the hilltop Government House because of internal rife within the PDP, which resulted in his impeachment and that of his deputy, Senator Biodun Olujimi on October 16, 2006.
The political intrigues that culminated in the impeachment resulted in the removal of the then State Chief Judge, Justice Jide Aladejana (rtd) who was sidelined by the Ekiti State House of Assembly under the Speakership of Friday Aderemi to pave the way for the impeachments. The impeachment imbroglio led to a situation in which Fayose, Olujimi and the Speaker, Aderemi simultaneously laid claim to the governor’s seat.
The development propelled Obasanjo to declare a state of emergency there on October 19, 2006, and impose retired Gen. Tunji Olurin as a Sole Administrator for six months, during which period he presided over the 2007 governorship in the state.
The poll was keenly contested between Segun Oni of the PDP and the current Governor Kayode Fayemi of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). At the end of the poll, the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) declared Oni the winner. But, Fayemi went to the election tribunal to challenge the results of the poll over alleged irregularities.
Will SDP, PDP Truncate APC’s Continuity Agenda In Ekiti? – Politics – Nigeria (nairaland.com)