Tuesday 24 June 2014
Fayemi Is An Unusual Nigerian.
Ekiti State Governor-elect, Mr Ayodele Fayose yesterday
described his opponent at the just concluded governorship
election, Kayode Fayemi as an ‘unusual Nigerian.’
Both leaders spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital when the
governor elect visited Fayemi in his office to set the stage for a
transition plan.
Fayose was accompanied by Ekiti PDP chair, Makanjuola
Ogundipe and Minister-designate, Dayo Adeyeye.
Fayemi vowed to sustain his programmes and policies for the
state’s development till the end of his tenure in October.
He said, “They said my congratulatory message to the governor-
elect is un-African or un-Nigerian; I don’t think it was so,
because that was what I was expected to do as a democrat.”
“As an elected official, I have no choice than to respect the
wishes of the people. Our democracy is fragile and we have to
do whatever we can as leaders to strengthen and deepen it the
more.
“Ekiti is also unique. We all have ties dating back to centuries,
so we are not disagreeable in any way.”
Speaking on the crisis that broke out during electioneering
campaigns by the leading parties, Fayemi said, “What caused
those things was the fact that we were playing politics. All is
power struggle. We wanted to take from the same basket. But
today, we have taken the outcome with equanimity.
“So, I congratulate the governor-elect because what we are
doing today is a lesson for us that in whatever we do as leaders,
we have to consider the overall interest of Ekiti people.
“Today, Ekiti is victorious. We have shown the world that
politics can be played with decorum and restraint. But I have to
continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people
until October 16, so we have to plead with our supporters to
exercise restraint.”
On his own part, Fayose said, “I got a call from the governor,
our leader, Dr Kayode Fayemi and he told me expressly of his
readiness to ensure that the state moves forward by accepting
the result in the outcome of the June 21 governorship election. I
consider and I know that only a statesman can do that, without
being immodest.
“I want to equally understand the fact that as a leader and
governor of a state, when such gestures are made, it behoves on
people like me as a leader on the other side to meet with him
and acknowledge the fact that he conceded in the overall
interest of Ekiti. It is unusual; it is not Nigerian or African-like
for leaders to concede readily.”
“ I hope this meeting will further strengthen the peace in our
state, and I want to add that our supporters must help us to help
this State. Some came to my house yesterday singing all sorts of
songs, I had to wake up and stop them.
“This is not a time to sing such songs. It is a time for
reconciliation and love, to learn from the past and ensure that
we have a wonderful future ahead of us. This leadership calls
for us to live according to the rules of the game and ensure that
tomorrow, we will be made accountable.
“Dr Fayemi has demonstrated commitment to peace and I am
going to complement his effort. I am going to take it up from
wherever he stops and make sure that immediately after office,
he still continues to enjoy his rights and benefits of a leader that
has served his own people.”, he said.
Reacting to Fayose’s surprise at his concession, Fayemi said,
“Politics should be treated separately from governance and that
politicians by their very nature would want to behave in a
particular way but we as leaders must ensure that we handle that
with restraints so that Ekiti people are the beneficiaries at the
end of the day. We don’t want anything that will heat up the
polity simply because we have a process of transition in place”.
“For me, leadership is about service. It is about sacrifice. It is
not about personal aggrandizement, not about personal benefit
but the duty that we owe our people is to ensure that Ekiti
continues to progress. Anything that will make the state
progress is what I will be associated with.
“People have said my gesture is strange, it is unafrican, well I
am a democrat and the will of the people is the basis of
democracy. If it is the will of the people, we do not have a
choice than to respect their will, and to do everything to ensure
that we deepen this democracy not just for Ekiti but also for
Nigeria”, he said.
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