A total of 35 governorship candidates representing 35 political parties will take part in Saturday’s election in Ekiti State.

Among the candidates, two are considered the front runners. They are ex-governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress and the current deputy governor, Olusola Eleka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

PREMIUM TIMES reviews the profiles of majority of the candidates.

John Olukayode Fayemi (APC)

Mr Fayemi enters the race as a former governor of Ekiti State serving (2010 to 2014) on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. He hails from Isan Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti North Senatorial District.

He holds a doctorate in War Studies from the prestigious King’s College, University of London, England, specialising in civil-military relations.

Before his entrance into politics, Mr Fayemi served as Director, Centre for Democracy and Development(CDD) between 1997 and 2006.

He was defeated by Ayodele Fayose of the PDP while seeking re-election in 2014. He was later appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, the position he resigned to contest the July 14 election.

Kolapo Olusola Eleka (PDP)

He is the incumbent deputy governor of the state from Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti South Senatorial District.

Mr Olusola is a professor of Building Technology at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, with a track record of excellence in his academic field. He came straight from the academic environment to become deputy governor of the state. He is running to succeed his boss, Ayodele Fayose.

Ayodeji Lawrence Ayodele (APGA)

He is a former Nigerian envoy to Greece.

Mr Ayodele is an accomplished diplomat who rose to the position of Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He had a brief stint with the Mega Progressive Peoples Party. He reportedly moved to APGA as the party rushed to hold primaries.

He emerged as APGA candidate under controversial circumstances.

Sikiru Lawal Tae (LP)

Mr Lawal, a former chieftain of the PDP in Ekiti State, was the deputy governor of the state under governor Segun Oni between 2007 and 2010.

He recently resigned his membership of the PDP after the crisis which occurred as a result of the choice of the party’s candidate by governor Ayo Fayose.

Abiodun Aluko (AP)

Mr Aluko was a successful surveyor before venturing into politics.

He was the leader of the Ayo Fayose Movement(AFM).

He later became Mr Fayose’s deputy before he was impeached after both politicians fell apart. He has oscillated between the PDP, NDP and recently the MPN, before clinching the ticket of the Accord Party.

Jeremiah Adebisi Omoyeni (MPN)

The banker hails from Ikere Ekiti. He served as deputy governor after Mr Aluko was impeached under Ayo Fayose. He was a governorship aspirant in 2014 in the PDP.

Shola Omolola (AA)

He was elected the state chairman of Action Alliance(AA), Lagos State, last year.

He has been very active in the politics of Lagos and was appointed secretary of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos.

Ben Olaniyi Agboola (AD)

Mr Agboola is a marketing and advertising expert who has worked with different companies in Nigeria and abroad.

He was a Sales Project Coordinator at Globacom Nig Limited.

He obtained his HND, Business Administration from the Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti in 1992 and an MBA at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology where he studied marketing in 1999 and proceeded to South London Business College where he obtained Diploma in Information Technology in 2005.

‎Babatunde Henry Afe (ANRP)

Mr Afe is the founder and General Overseer of House of Faith Christian Centre, Ado Ekiti.

He claims to also double as a businessman and a farmer.

He is a graduate of Economics from the University of Ilorin and also runs a training consultancy. He prides himself as being among the four biggest farmers in the state with several hundreds hectares of farm.

Segun Adewale (ADP)

Mr Adewale, popularly known as Segun Aeroland, is from Ipoti Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area.

A well known businessman and philanthropist based in Lagos, he was senatorial candidate for Lagos West on the platform of the PDP during the 2015 election.

He is the CEO, Aeroland Travel Limited.

He has been in active politics in Lagos and made efforts to be elected a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly on the Labour Party ticket, but was unsuccessful.

He defected to the Alliance for Democracy and then to the PDP in 2011 to run for the Federal House of Representative, Alimosho Federal Constituency, but lost the election to Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the then Action Congress of Nigeria.

He is a recipient of many awards, particularly in the aviation industry.

Bode Olowoporoku (NDPC)

He is a UK-trained economist with a Phd in Economics. He was also a Minister of Science and Technology under Usman Shehu Shagari government. He was elected senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District from 2003 to 2007.

Dare Bejide (PPN)

He was the Secretary to the Ekiti State Government under the governorship tenure of Segun Oni.

He is from Ilawe, in Ekiti South senatorial district.

He has also served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada.

He was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party until the crisis following the adoption of Kolapo Olusola, his deputy. He joined PPN to emerge the candidate of the party for Saturday’s election.

Orubuloye Dele Lucas (AGA)

An engineer by profession, he studied at the University of Mandras, Chennai, in India.

He hails from Are Ekiti.

He represents the All Grassroots Alliance Party.

Tosin Ajibare (ID)

He is said to be below 35 years old and the youngest candidate in the Ekiti governorship race.

According to him, he represents the face of the youth in Ekiti State. Mr Ajibare is from Ikere Ekiti and a graduate of Business Administration.

He is the founder of the Movement for the Development of Youths and Children, an NGO based in Ekiti State.

He represents the Independent Democrats Party.

Olajumoke Saheed (DA)

He holds a BSc in accounting from the Ekiti State University and was voted the governorship candidate of the Democratic Alternative on May 12.

Temitope Omotayo (YPP)

The 35-year-old candidate, follows Mr Ajibade as one of the youthful candidates in the contest. A graduate of Economics from the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, as well as a law degree from the University of Lagos.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2013 and partner at the Fasina and Omotayo law firm.

He represents the Young Progressives Party.

Tope Adebayo (APDA)

Mr Adebayo is a legal practitioner and obtained his law degree at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, before proceeding to the University of Lagos for his masters degree also in law.

He was president of the Students’ Union, and prides himself as one among a few students union leaders who emerged best graduating student. He also attended Havard where he took a leadership course in preparation for his task to govern Ekiti State.

He represents the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance.

Akinloye Ayegbusi (SDP)

Mr Ayegbusi, 44, before his foray into politics was an Executive Director at Eco Bank Plc. He said he only started thinking about politics in March this year, as contesting the governorship was never in his plans for the year.

He represents the Social Democratic Party.

Saheed Olawale Jimoh (APA)

Mr Jimoh, 44, was a candidate of the African Peoples Alliance for the House of Representatives seat for Ado Ekiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Ekiti State in 2015 but was unsuccessful.

The APA found him worthy of its ticket and would be expecting Ekiti people to vote for him on Saturday.

‎Other candidates and their parties are:

Oribamise Stephen Ojo (AGAP)

Olanrewaju Olalekan (DPC)

Adegboye Ajayi (BNPP)

David-Adesua Ayodele (DA)

Sule Olalekan Ganiyu (FJP)

Adewale Olushola Akinyele(GPN)

Akerele Oluyinka Gbenga(DPP)

Amuda Temitope Kazeem(KOWA)

Jegede Olabode Gregory (MMN)

Babatunde OladapoAlegbeleye (NDLP)

Oladosu Olaniyan (NPC)

Ayoyinka Oluwaseun Dada (PDC)

Animashaun Goke (PPA)

Adeleye John Olusegun (UDP)

Gboyega Olufemi Jacob (UPN)

Fakorede Ayodeji Ebenezer (YDP)

 

Culled from PREMIUMTIMESNG