Ekiti election: INEC gives Fayose, deputy- elect certificates of return, Chides Fayemi over new councils, employment

SUPPORTERS of the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr Ayò Fayose, and party leaders, on Thursday, stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) secretariat in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, where the commission handed the certificate of return in the election to him and the deputy governor-elect, Dr. Kolapo Olubunmi Olushola-Eleka. The presentation was sequel to his victory over the incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s governorship election conducted in the state. Speaking after receiving the certificate, Fayose said: “I want to thank Governor Kayode Fayemi for conceding defeat to me. He has proved to be a statesman. But it will be ungentlemanly for him to start creating local governments or employing people he has not employed in the past four years. I want to advise that he has been honourable and he has to maintain this.” Commenting on the election, Fayose said “with this election, INEC has proved that it has the capacity to put Nigeria back on track. You did not choose a governor for us in your office, but you allowed Ekiti people to freely choose. This will forever remain in history.” Fayose advised those who are not from the state to desist from making harsh comments about the election, saying “democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. “I will go for the goal like Chief Obafemi Awolowo because I will not look sideways. It only takes the kindness of God for people to rise twice. And I am making this pledge that I will serve the common people and I will also respect the elite.” He said as the leader of the PDP in the South-West, he would do everything within his power to reawaken and reenergise the party in the zone. Fayose urged all Ekiti indigenes not to entertain fear, saying he wouldn’t persecute anybody on account of political differences. Presenting the certificate, the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, promised that the commission would continue to replicate the achievement recorded in Ekiti in the subsequent elections. Jega, who was represented on the occasion by the INEC Commissioner in charge of Ekiti, Oyo and Ogun states, Professor Lai Olurode, stated that many top functionaries of the commission would have been sacked, but for good performance in Ekiti election. He said the Ekiti election “was not delivered by caesarian section because we did not predict the outcome. We never allowed our personal predilection to determine the outcome of the election. That is why we are celebrating today. “Before, we have seen a governor who won election and could not stay in his state to celebrate with the people. So, I plead with Nigerians to continue to have confidence in us. If you see any of our officials perpetrating fraud, try and gather evidence, Professor Jega will not spare such person.” Jega remarked that Fayose and Fayemi displayed high level of political leadership, particularly with their utterances and body languages after the election, urging politicians to emulate the gesture. He urged politicians to stop the bashing of INEC to prevent its credibility from being eroded in the eyes of the public, particularly the international community. He said “we never knew what would have happened to our jobs if the election had ended the way of Anambra. But we thank God that the Resident Electoral Commissioner saved our jobs. “You know Ekiti election came after Anambra election. But we were not happy with what happened in Anambra because we prepared for it better than Ekiti. “The anxiety before the election was unprecedented and nobody knew what would happen to Ekiti after the election because of the trepidation.” In his remarks, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Halilu Pai, described the ceremony as a celebration of success and victory in the poll, which had been adjudged free and fair and exact representation of the will of the people.” He said, “By this INEC has lived up to its words. But the success should not be ascribed to INEC alone, it is a collective one by all stakeholders which include the security agencies, politicians and the electorate. “The lesson we have learnt in the election is that, it has reshaped the political volatility that is attached to Ekiti. We have exhibited our political ruggedness by conducting free and fair election that represents the will of the electorate. “The people of the state came out en masse to exercise their rights. We appreciate this and we thank you all. But there is room for improvement. We will continue to improve and reciprocate this performance in future elections by embracing transparency of purpose.”