MINISTER of Mines and Steel Development Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said Ekiti State has benefited more from the Fedral Government under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in less than three years than it did in 16 years under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Fayemi scored the APC government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, high in its three cardinal policies of reviving the economy, providing security and fighting corruption.
The former Ekiti State governor urged Nigerians to be wary of PDP’s antics to return to power, saying the damage the party did to the economy was monumental, hence it should not be allowed to return to power.
He said the PDP was plotting a return to power to continue what he alled its orgy of looting, which brought the economy to its knees.
Fayemi addressed reporters yesterday at his Eyi Yato Villa in Isan-Ekiti before hosting thousands of APC members to an end-of-the-year stakeholders’ meeting.
The meeting was attended by party leaders, including former Governor Segun Oni, state APC Chairman Olajide Awe, party excos from the 177 wards, 16 local government areas, 35 local council development areas (LCDAs) and the three senatorial districts.
The minister pooh-poohed claims by Governor Ayo Fayose that he (Fayemi) has not used his position as minister to help his home state.
Fayemi noted that Ekiti enjoys concrete federal presence through execution of key capital projects, including federal secretariat and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) complex.
The former governor said thousands of Ekiti residents had benefited from empowerment programmes and loan schemes of the Federal Government, which increased their standards of living.
He added that kaolin exploration had just been completed, paving the way for the next phase of production; bauxite exploration at Orin-Ekiti has begun.
Small scale miners at Ijero-Ekiti have been formed into cooperative societies to enable them benefit from a N5 billion loan domicilled at the Bank of Industry (BoI), the minister said.
Fayemi said: “In the last 16 years, Ekiti State has been trying desperately to have a major federal presence where all the federal institutions will operate therefrom. This is known all over as the Federal secretariat in that state.
“I went on inspection yesterday to check how far work has gone on the Federal secretariat. I am pleased with the progress being made.
“That project was initiated and awarded under this (Buhari) administration. I knew how it was awarded; I don’t want to claim credit for anything, but I knew what I had to do to ensure that the minister (in charge) not only awarded it but awarded it to an Ekiti son.
“So, the company, which is building that structure, is an Ekiti company and Ekiti indigenes are the ones working there. That is one.
“Number two: (Transportation Minister) Rotimi Amaechi has never stopped telling people why he had to extend the rail to Ekiti State, which was not the case before. He was of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); they were in government for 16 years. Ekiti State was not factored into the plan done by the Goodluck Jonathan administration or the Olusegun Obasanjo administration before it.
“The only time Ekiti State found its way into the federal road project is under this administration. It’s because I went to meet the President and he insisted that the rail should not pass us by.
“You have heard of N-Power. Over 4,000 Ekiti indigenes are beneficiaries of N-Power as we speak. If we wait for another two months, over 12,000 Ekiti citizens will be beneficiaries of N-Power.”
Warning Nigerians against PDP’s return, Fayemi said: “We either return to the old ways of the criminalisation of the Nigerian state and the brigandage that comes with that. That is what PDP represents, and nothing absolutely convinces me that PDP has changed.
“Not a single apology anywhere for the damage they have done to this country. I think it will be totally unfortunate on our part to even remotely consider PDP in its current state as an alternative to APC. There is no basis for that comparison.
“I am not suggesting that we have perfectly handled things; no. There are things that citizens should criticise our party for, and they will be right for doing so.”