Residents of Ekiti State are waiting with bated breath for the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for Saturday, with the polls forming the major talking points among the populace.
As the February 25 “judgement day” approaches, there is anxiety in the state because of its political volatility and the opportunity the polls offer for political gladiators to flex muscles for bragging rights after the 2022 governorship elections.
The major political parties expected to slug it out for the presidential vote in Ekiti are All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP) with other parties just there to make up the numbers.
In the June 18, 2022, governorship election, the APC came first, with its flagbearer, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji winning the poll, surprisingly trailed in the second position by the SDP which had Engr. Segun Oni as its candidate. The PDP and its candidate, Chief Bisi Kolawole came third.
This made the trio the strongest parties on ground in the state. The LP is nowhere near the three in strength, population, spread and structures but the situation may change at the forthcoming presidential poll due to some dynamics recently introduced into the polity.
Apart from the presidential election, the federal legislative poll is also generating interests among politicians and eligible voters in the state, fondly referred to as the Land of Honour.
Ekiti has three senatorial seats for the North, Central and South and six federal constituency seats in Ekiti North 1 (Oye and Ikole), Ekiti North 2 (Ido/Osi, Moba and Ilejemeje), Ekiti Central 1 (Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun), Ekiti Central 2 (Ekiti West, Ijero and Efon), Ekiti South 1 (Ekiti Southwest, Ikere, Ise/Orun) and Ekiti South 2 (Emure, Gbonyin and Ekiti East).
In 1999, while the PDP won the presidency, the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) secured majority seats in the National Assembly.
But in the subsequent general election cycles of 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019, it was the party that controlled the federal power that won the majority of the votes in the state and that of 2023 may not be different.
All the key parties in focus: APC, PDP and LP held their presidential campaign rallies in the state, while SDP is yet to hold its own as of the time of putting this piece together
