Fayemi joins Ekiti gov race

A former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has formally declared for the July 14 governorship race in the state.

The current Minister of Mines and Steel Development said he was persuaded to join the race because of noticeable pangs of poverty, frustrations and misery of Ekiti people.

He made his ambition known at a news conference after hosting leaders and scores of members of the All Progressives Congress from all the 16 Local Government Areas and the 177 wards of the state at his Isan-Ekiti country home in the Oye Local Government Area of the state.

He became the 35th aspirant to formally indicate interest in the governorship poll on the platform of the APC.

Fayemi promised to dislodge the Governor Ayodele Fayose-led Peoples Democratic Party based on his track record and “improved welfare” he provided for workers, retirees and pensioners while in office in the state.

He warned Fayose not to attempt to remove or destroy his campaign posters and billboards the way his government was doing to some opposition posters, saying doing so would be resisted by all means possible.

The ex-governor said he would formally submit his letter of intent to the state secretariat of the APC after the Independent National Electoral Commission lifted the ban on campaigns on April 15.

He said, “I am not going to jump the gun because there are rules and guidelines for electioneering.  The body responsible for that has stated the obvious ­— when you can actually start the campaigns. The fact that people are flouting the guidelines is the fault of INEC.

“I have also been very clear that whatever it takes, constitutionally, legally and legitimately to put our party in office in October 2018, we will do as a party.”

Fayemi described other aspirants from the APC as equally good and qualified, but advised against divisive tendencies from their followers.

The ex-governor stressed that whoever that eventually emerged from the coming primary must be embraced by all since the national secretariat of the party had promised an open, free and fair exercise.

He promised to use his second-term to correct all the past mistakes and improve on the good ones, saying he had learnt his lessons since leaving office about four years ago as governor as well as garnered new experience.