THE Ekiti State governorship election will hold on Saturday, July 14, 2018, and many say the contest will be between Kolapo Eleka, the anointed candidate of the sitting Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and Kayode Fayemi former Governor of the State who just resigned as Minister of Solid Minerals.

President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside almost all the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was in the state on Tuesday to campaign for Fayemi. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had held its grand campaign five days ago.

However, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), aside the PDP and APC, 38 other political parties are also taking part in the Ekiti governorship election.

Here are a number of them:

SEGUN ADEWALE (ACTION DEMOCRATIC PARTY – ADP)

Born on May 15, 1966, Otunba Segun Adewale is based more in Lagos State and had contested for the Lagos West Senatorial seat in the 2015 elections on the platform of the PDP.

The 52-year-old entrepreneur has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography from the University of Ibadan, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Lagos State University.

Adewale is the chairman of Aeroland Group as well as the Managing Director/CEO of Skyrace Nigeria Limited. He is also a Deacon at Word of Faith Ministry.

AKINLOYE AYEGBUSI (SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY – SDP)

Ayegbusi, 44, a banker by profession, garnered a total of 16,921 votes to emerge the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following the party’s primary election held in May.

“The APC and PDP have both proved beyond reasonable doubt that they have nothing to offer at this present time. The SDP is promising a new lease of life, massive job creation, industrialisation, and agricultural revolution,” Ayegbusi was quoted as saying during one of his visits to some traditional rulers in the State.

Ayegbusi also promised to criminalise street hawking by children if voted into office.

OLANIYI AGBOOLA – (ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY – AD)

Agboola described himself on his twitter profile as “a Christian, Father, Gunner and Lover of Progress”.

He literarily strolled to the AD governorship ticket as what was intended to be the party’s primary election on May 9 this year, ended up an endorsement ceremony.

The three other candidates that had declared their interest to contest for the ticket: namely Akin Fasogba, Victor Osekita and Babatunde Omotoso, all decided to step down for Agboola.

His major campaign promises include boosting security and reducing maternal mortality.

TOPE ADEBAYO (ADVANCE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE – APDA)

“Though we don’t have money to throw around like some parties, but we have committed members who have been faithful to the growth and progress of the party across the length and breadth of the State, and I am promising these our faithful and loyal members that I am not going to disappoint them.”

These were the words with which Adebayo, a legal practitioner, accepted to fly the flag of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), having been so endorsed by the party since he was the only one to show interest.

According to his personal website, www.topeadebayollp.com, Adebayo graduated from the University of Ado-Ekiti as the best student in the Faculty of Law. He was also President of the Students’ Union. He then proceeded to the University of Lagos, where he earned a Masters Degree in law, also graduating as the best student.

Adebayo is also an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education (Leaders in Development: Managing Change in a Dynamic World).

His areas of specialty in the law profession include dispute resolution, specialized transaction and corporate/commercial practice.

TEMITOPE OMOTAYO (YOUNG PEOPLES PARTY – YPP)

35-year-old Omotayo is among the two youngest candidate in the Ekiti governorship race. He has two Bachelors’ Degree in Economics and Law from the University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) and the University of Lagos respectively.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2013 and co-founded a law firm – Fasina and Omotayo law firm – with his old school friend.

Omotayo’s running mate, Esther Daramola, is a teacher-turned business woman who hails from Ekiti East Local Government Area.

GOKE ANIMASHAUN (PROGRESSIVE PEOPLES ALLIANCE – PPA)

Animashaun was one of the 21 governorship aspirants that stepped down for then Governor Kayode Fayemi in the build up to the 2014 governorship election. Fayemi eventually lost the election to Fayose.

This time around, Animashaun and his Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), seem determined to run the race to the end, but whether the party has what it takes to emerge victorious, is yet to be determined.

SAHEED OLAJUMOKE (DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE)

Olajumoke Saheed has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the Ekiti State University. She was voted governorship candidate of the Democratic Alternative on May 12.

Among other things, Olajumoke promised to run a prudent government if voted into power, and to introduce free education at all levels, as well as lead an economic, industrial and agricultural revolution in the state.

Her other campaign promises include, improved and proactive healthcare program, as well as the empowerment of women, youth and the vulnerable.

AYODELE DAVID-ADESUA (ADC)

If someone’s following on the social media is a prerequisite for one to qualify to run for office in Nigeria, Ayodele David-Adesua may not qualify to fly ADC’s flag in Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti.

With a paltry 53 followers on Twitter, David-Adesua – who describes himself as a “breakthrough minded person” – could pass as the politician with the least social media followership in Nigeria.

However, what David-Adesua’s lacks in social media following, he made up for in his campaign promises.

Among other things, the ADC candidate promised to refine, develop and engage the youths meaningfully through paying adequate attention to sports development, if voted into office.

“A lot of our youths are talented but impotent. Their potentials are buried within. As innovative leaders, we shall put in place modern sports infrastructure to help the discovery of our talented youth,” he wrote in one of his twitter posts.

“We shall employ among others, the principle of hard work and dedication as we make Ekiti state a 1st world state in a 3rd world nation.”

TUNDE AFE (ABUNDANT NIGERIA RENEWAL PARTY – ANRP)

Afe is the founder and General Overseer of House of Faith Christian Centre, Ado Ekiti.

He said he joined the race because of his desire to make a difference in the lives of the people; and to show that Nigerians are one irrespective of religion, Afe promised to pick a Muslim as his running mate.

“I didn’t receive any special direction before taking this step, because every Nigerian knew that the country is in dire need of good leadership and as a man of God who believes that things must be done properly, I have no reason to sit back while things degenerate,” Afe said during one of his homilies.

“All those that had ruled Ekiti did their best, but I think I can do better because I won’t take whatever that doesn’t belong to me as a benefit in government because I fear God.”

TOSIN AJIBADE (INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS – ID)ID)

Tosin Ajibade is the other 35-year-old in the EKiti governorship race. A graduate of Business Administration Ajibade hails from Ikere Ekiti, same local government as Governor Fayose.

Until his declaration to run for office, Ajibade was the founder and CEO of the Movement for the Development of Youths and Children. an Ekiti-based Non-Governmental Organisation.

“The main thing across the globe now is that the time has come for the youths to take over leadership from the elders,” Ajibade said

“We cannot continue to do things the same way, hence my belief in generational shift in our political landscape.”