Former Ekiti state governor and current Minister of Mines and
Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Sunday says he will contest
the July 14 gubernatorial election coming up soon in the state
under the APC.
He made his ambition known at a news conference at his
Isan-Ekiti country home in Oye Local Government Area of the
state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi had hosted
leaders and scores of members of the party from all the 16 Local
Government Areas and the 177 Wards of the state.
He said he was driven by his past records of positive
achievements, especially for workers, retirees and pensioners while
in office in the state.
He explained that his decision to seek re-election was to
deliver the state from incompetent and dubious hands and take her
to where its supposed to be.
NAN reports that the former governor becomes the 35th person to
formally indicate interest in the governorship poll in the APC
alone, aside from dozen others whose campaign posters and
billboards are already out on the streets without formal
declaration.
Fayemi said he would formally submit his letter of intent to the
state secretariat of the APC as soon as the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) lifts ban on campaigns on April 15.
On the issue of a White Paper, indicting him for corruption and
consequently banned him from seeking public office for 10 years,
Fayemi said he was not bothered.
He declared that the said White Paper cannot stop his ambition,
describing the document as final result of several months of
political witchhunt launched against him by the Ayo Fayose-led
administration that cannot stand the test of time.
“Regardless of whatever anybody may think, I know I am eminently
qualified to contest the election, if I am not qualified, I would
never have come to tell you I want to contest.
“Most of the negative things Fayose and his government said or
alleged of me were deliberately concocted out of malice to either
malign my character or score cheap political goal; but the truth
will always prevail.
“Same goes for the manipulated debt profile of the state which
was a clear case of exaggeration and distortions.
“Can you imagine, Fayose said he issued White Paper banning me
from holding public office, but today, I am giving him red card. By
the end of the gubernatorial poll exercise, we will know who is
right between the two of us,” he said.
The Minister vowed to dislodge Fayose and his deputy in the poll
if picked at the May 5, 2018 gubernatorial primary of the party in
Ado Ekiti.
He advised other aspirants against divisive tendencies by their
followers, stressing that whoever that eventually emerged from the
coming primary must be embraced by all since the national
secretariat of the party had promised that the whole exercise would
be open, free and fair.
He promised to use his second-term to correct all past mistakes
and improve on the good ones, saying he had learnt his lessons
since leaving office about four years ago as governor.
Fayemi, therefore, asked all those he offended while in office
as governor to forgive him, while also saying he had forgiven all
those who erred against him, in the interest of the party.
He warned Fayose not to attempt to remove or destroy his
campaign posters and billboards the way his government was
currently doing to some opposition posters.
NAN reports that the minister was however silent on when he
would be resigning his appointment as minister from the Federal
Executive Council.
Former Ekiti state governor and current Minister of Mines and
Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Sunday says he will contest
the July 14 gubernatorial election coming up soon in the state
under the APC.
He made his ambition known at a news conference at his
Isan-Ekiti country home in Oye Local Government Area of the
state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi had hosted
leaders and scores of members of the party from all the 16 Local
Government Areas and the 177 Wards of the state.
He said he was driven by his past records of positive
achievements, especially for workers, retirees and pensioners while
in office in the state.
He explained that his decision to seek re-election was to
deliver the state from incompetent and dubious hands and take her
to where its supposed to be.
NAN reports that the former governor becomes the 35th person to
formally indicate interest in the governorship poll in the APC
alone, aside from dozen others whose campaign posters and
billboards are already out on the streets without formal
declaration.
Fayemi said he would formally submit his letter of intent to the
state secretariat of the APC as soon as the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) lifts ban on campaigns on April 15.
On the issue of a White Paper, indicting him for corruption and
consequently banned him from seeking public office for 10 years,
Fayemi said he was not bothered.
He declared that the said White Paper cannot stop his ambition,
describing the document as final result of several months of
political witchhunt launched against him by the Ayo Fayose-led
administration that cannot stand the test of time.
“Regardless of whatever anybody may think, I know I am eminently
qualified to contest the election, if I am not qualified, I would
never have come to tell you I want to contest.
“Most of the negative things Fayose and his government said or
alleged of me were deliberately concocted out of malice to either
malign my character or score cheap political goal; but the truth
will always prevail.
“Same goes for the manipulated debt profile of the state which
was a clear case of exaggeration and distortions.
“Can you imagine, Fayose said he issued White Paper banning me
from holding public office, but today, I am giving him red card. By
the end of the gubernatorial poll exercise, we will know who is
right between the two of us,” he said.
The Minister vowed to dislodge Fayose and his deputy in the poll
if picked at the May 5, 2018 gubernatorial primary of the party in
Ado Ekiti.
He advised other aspirants against divisive tendencies by their
followers, stressing that whoever that eventually emerged from the
coming primary must be embraced by all since the national
secretariat of the party had promised that the whole exercise would
be open, free and fair.
He promised to use his second-term to correct all past mistakes
and improve on the good ones, saying he had learnt his lessons
since leaving office about four years ago as governor.
Fayemi, therefore, asked all those he offended while in office
as governor to forgive him, while also saying he had forgiven all
those who erred against him, in the interest of the party.
He warned Fayose not to attempt to remove or destroy his
campaign posters and billboards the way his government was
currently doing to some opposition posters.
NAN reports that the minister was however silent on when he
would be resigning his appointment as minister from the Federal
Executive Council.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/fayemi-declares-interest-in-ekiti-guber-poll/