By Akin Rotimi
One of the highlights of the July 2, 2021 Ekiti APC Stakeholders meeting was the demonstration of sagacity in political communications by our leaders who took the time to strategically address a number of issues openly, and contain the rumour mill that runs on overdrive in Ekiti.
They also demonstrated the understanding that issues left to fester can get out of hand, and therefore used the opportunity to nip nagging issues in the bud by their unequivocal pronouncements.
One such issue is the JKF Tokan Tokan aberration that has been bandied around since the beginning of this administration in 2018, causing schisms and anarchy in the party and state.
JKF Tokan Tokan evolved as a franchise of deceit in Ekiti’s politics in the past few years – promoting a few greedy and entitled people in the party as those loyal to Governor Fayemi and thus deserving of all the benefits from the system. Purveyors of this ideology became very divisive and vindictive, and routinely victimised anyone who dared question their excesses.
Critical thinkers could see clearly that this ideological bent of prebendal politics was built on the theory of disengagement that believed they could impose the will of the few over the majority. Their actions seeded longstanding crisis in many wards across the state, and widespread resentment by loyal party members, many of whom are core JKF loyalists.
Concerned party members could see the portends of such politics, and had been speaking out, and thankfully were heard by our leaders who openly outed their shenanigans and proclaimed clearly that there is only one unified APC structure in the state.
The interesting thing is that these people only draw to John Kayode Fayemi by mouth, but are far from him in character and values. JKF’s ideology is one of engagement and inclusion. It is one of working to harmonize interests for the sake of the greater good. This is the same magnanimous leader that on assumption of office accommodated former aspirants that contested against him in his cabinet, and appointed many others to different positions.
This is the same leader that regularly extends courtesies and privileges to even his greatest antagonists as the true Omoluabi that he is. This is the same leader that chided his handlers recently for a press release that was “out of character” for using unsavoury words in responding to a clear instance of politically motivated false accusations against a government agency. This is the same leader that insists that once primaries are over, everybody becomes one, and united in the Ekiti APC family.
The clownish JKF Tokan Tokan ideology has been uprooted from Ekiti and the APC structure forever. They never had the blessing of our leader and were serving their own interests. Many of them who have little or no connection with the grassroots now have to eat the humble pie and engage the same people they have sidelined and victimised for a long time.
Some day, political scientists would study this epoch and interrogate this issue more deeply – there are loads of lessons to guide future generations that never again should such theory and practice of division be allowed to take root in a state known for unity. Need we remind these people that Governor Fayemi came to office on the back of his promotion of a “Collective Rescue Mission” mantra?
We thank our leaders for addressing this issue once and for all, which some of us have been fighting for sometime now. By the grace of God, this strategic stitch in time, would save 2022, and help us achieve continuity and break the jinx of alternation of power in Ekiti state politics.
