By Gbenga Ariyibi,  Ado Ekiti

The contest for the plum position of Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly  is unique and a matter of fact of no contest in the wholly PDP dominated House to be inaugurated next week.

It was an exercise that had been concluded a long time ago. Governor Ayo Fayose left without bothering himself for election last April devoted himself to ensuring that only trusted allies were positioned in the party to legislate in the new House.

Pastor Kola Oluwawole from Osan Ekiti in Boba Local government area according to informed sources is positioned to be the next speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and it is no surprise that members-elect are already deferring to him as the first among equals.

Governor Fayose is from Central Senatorial District, while his deputy, Dr Kolapo Olusola is from the South, a situation that has made it natural for the North senatorial District where Oluwawole comes from to produce the Speaker of the state House of Assembly based on the existing zoning of political offices.

Therefore, the contest for the position of the Speakership of the seventh House of Assembly in Ekiti State was narrowed down to lawmakers from the North Senatorial District.

Before the party’s primaries early this year, only two people showed interest in the position. The two were Chief Gboyega Aribisogan from Ijesha Isu in Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1 and Pastor Oluwawole.

Remarkably, the duo are confidants of the governor and his foot soldiers. However, for undisclosed reasons or for some unknown political calculations, Fayose took preference for Oluwawole. Indeed, when it became apparent that Fayose was leaning towards Oluwawole, all the others from Ekiti North who had eyes on the plum seat simply caved in, in deference to the desire of their political leader, Fayose.

Oluwawole has been a long time ally of Fayose and served as a commissioner during  Fayose’s first outing and was also a chief of staff to Fayose between 2003-2006.

Aside this, the pastor had been part of Fayose’s political struggles in and out of office. He followed him to Labour Party when it appeared Fayose was not comfortable with the way PDP was being run in the state during the regime of Engr. Segun Oni and returned with him to the PDP just before the governorship election.

NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS

•PDP: 26
•APC: 0