FORMER Ekiti State Governor and aspirant in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election in the state, Chief Segun Oni, said he may quit the party if the party continues to harass his supporters.
Oni said he was ready to change the mindset of Ekiti politicians that defection remains the only option after losing an election as a popular and acceptable politician, by staying put in APC.
Oni lost the APC Governorship primary election to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and former governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi, who polled a total of 941 votes to beat Oni who scored 481 and 31 other aspirants in the rescheduled May 12 primary election.
Oni, who said this while speaking with journalists in Ifaki Ekiti on Tuesday, said, “I am still in APC, we are loyal party men. I decided to contest to give our party the probability to win. The contest was not about me. Our people must learn a new lesson that when you enjoy goodwill and you lose a primary, the next thing is for you to move to another party, with a thinking that you will win.
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“Even if you enjoy goodwill, it is not good to expend it that way. So, we are not leaving APC, but I have a responsibility to protect my supporters. But this habit of winners take all and what we are hearing that Segun Oni boys will be in the cooler for four years if APC wins is what I won’t tolerate.
“We are approaching a windstorm, which is the election and I believe we need to take caution on both sides. As much as we are ready to work with the winner, they too must be receptive and be trusting.
“We are not scavenging, neither are we scavengers. We have been receiving pressures from different parties that we should come for the tickets, but we said no, because we want this to be an example and become a new thinking that when you lose the primary, you must stay in your party even when you are popular.
“But if they continue to harass my supporters, I may quit the party, because I have responsibility not only to protect them but ensure that they are not taken for a ride,” Oni stated.
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On the amount of money that was involved in prosecuting the primary election, Oni revealed that money played prominent role in mobilising the delegates for the poll.
The former governor suggested option A4 in electing the party’s candidate, describing it as being more representative and inclusive than the delegate system.
