Many factors were responsible for the outcome of the governorship election in Ekiti State, including religion, the general conduct of the exercise by INEC, the role of money in the process and lastly, federal might.
What many people may not realise is the role religion played in the election which contributed in no small measures to PDP’s defeat. DAILY INDEPENDENT findings reveal that the Muslim community in Ekiti resolved on Friday 13, the eve of the election to withdraw their support for Fayose and his anointed candidate, Olusola owing to what they called ‘the deception by the governor aimed at shortchanging Muslims in the state’.
In choosing Olusola’s running mate, Fayose and the state chapter of the PDP had picked Deji Ogunsakin, a former Chairman of Ado Local Government. In announcing his choice, the state party’s Chairman, Gboyega Oguntuase, said the PDP decided to pick Deji Ogunsakin after extensive consultation with the Muslim community in the state.
He said, “It is also our belief that Ado Ekiti, being the state capital with the largest voting population, deserves consideration for deputy governorship position. It was also to give the Muslim community in the state a sense of belonging.”
However, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) in a statement by its founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola criticised Fayose over the choice of Ogunsakin, urging Muslims in the state to be cautious of the Greek gift.
The group wondered why Fayose who it described as a “Muslim hater” could now pick a Muslim as running mate for Olusola while he (Fayose) never had one in his cabinet as governor.
Few days to the election, however, many Muslims in Ekiti were shocked when The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) issued a statement expressing gratitude to Fayose for choosing one their active members (Ogunsakin) as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP.
The letter of appreciation, dated July 2, 2018, was signed by Pastor Bayo Olugbemi on behalf of Victory Parish (My Father’s House) of RCCG in Magodo, Lagos State.
The RCCG noted that Ogunsakin, though said to be a Muslim by the PDP, was not only a very active member, but a committed worker in the church.
The letter reads in part: “Following the selection of our member, Mr. Deji Ogunsakin, as the PDP Deputy Governorship candidate for Ekiti State by your Excellency, the entire members and Pastorate of the RCCG, Victory Chapel (My Father’s House), Magodo Lagos appreciate the good gesture of the People’s Governor, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose.
“You will recall the church prayed earnestly after Your Excellency consulted our parish about your desire to choose our member and your candid request for the Parish to do background checks on brother Deji Ogunsakin.
“It’s also pertinent to correct the impression from some quarters in Ekiti that our brother, though born by Moslem parentage, is not a Moslem but a practicing Christian who gave his life to Christ and was duly baptized according to the doctrine of the Redeemed Christian Church and as laid down by our General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye”.
Following this revelation, which Fayose and the PDP could not refute, MURIC issued a statement warning Muslims against voting for PDP saying Fayose and his anointed candidate cannot be trusted to guarantee the future of Muslims in the state.
The statement reads “There is nothing wrong with being a Christian or a Muslim. There is also nothing wrong with voting for a Christian or Muslim candidate. But it is most shameful and outrageously dishonourable to deceive the public by hiding under the canopy of one religion to gain access to a public post knowing fully well that you are not what you claim to be. It is preposterous, disgusting and repulsive. Can we trust such people with the people’s mandate? Fayose has stolen the portion of Muslims in our common patrimony. It is an act of bad faith. It is dishonesty of the highest order”.
“This man has shortchanged Ekiti Muslims. The only ‘Muslim’ good enough for Fayose is the one who converted to Christianity a long time ago. Muslims in Ekiti should therefore ‘shine their eyes’.
“We remind Fayose and his cohots of the words of Abraham Lincoln who said, ‘You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time’. We warned Ekiti Muslims when Fayose picked his ‘Muslim’ deputy for Eleka. We knew he had something up his sleeve. But now the game is up.
Sources in Ekiti told our correspondent that during the Jumat prayer on Friday the eve of the election, Islamic leaders in the state passed a message to Muslims in the state to either boycott the exercise or vote against PDP.
Eventually, at the end of the exercise which generated huge followership both at home and in the Diaspora, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through its Returning Officer, Prof. Idowu Olayinka who is the Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ibadan declared Fayemi the winner with total votes of 197, 459 against Olusola, who garnered 178, 121 votes.
NB: This was first published in www.independent.ng