The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is set to join the governorship race in Ekiti State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports that his entry into the race may alter previous calculations by other aspirants.
The waiting game has ended. The suspense is over.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development and former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is set to join the governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He told reporters in his Isan-Ekiti country home that he was throwing his hat into the governorship ring. But, he said he would declare his intention at a later date.
The minister had earlier hosted the quarterly meeting of APC stakeholders at his Eyiyato residence. The meeting was attended by party officers from wards, local governments, senatorial districts and the state. He hosted them in his capacity as the state party leader.
The Easter meeting was strategic. It was full of drama. Party members attested to the fact that Fayemi “spoke like a real politician for the first time” by chanting some political slangs and sending a warning signal to Governor Ayo Fayose and his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) about his rediness to bounce back.
The way and manner Fayemi spoke made the crowd to request him to declare his ambition. But, the minister, who did not want run foul of the law, only gave a hint. He said he will wait until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) blows the whistle.
Fayemi said he will defeat Fayose and his preferred candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.
He warned Fayose not to attempt to remove or destroy his campaign posters and billboards as he is doing to other opposition contenders.
But, asked to make a ctegorical statement, Fayemi said he will first visit the party secretariat when the umpire lifts ban on open campaign.
Fayemi explained that the pangs of poverty, frustrations and misery of Ekiti people, and not his personal ambition, have motivated him to join the race.
Whether Fayemi would run or not has become a big issue for long. Party members, ostensibly promoting the ambition of other aspirants, accuse him of “selfishness,” saying that it was morally wrong for him to seek the governor’s seat again. They said Fayemi should “stay in Abuja” and allow the emergence of a new face as the flag bearer.
But, others see nothing wrong in Fayemi’s ambition. They are of the opinion that he has the constitutional right to contest, having done one term, which ended in 2014.
The second school of thought believes that “there is no morality in politics” and that every aspirant who shows interest should be allowed to test his popularity on the field and woo delegates at the primary.
Fayemi told reporters: “Do you need a rocket scientist to tell you that I am running? I was very clear that I am a process person. I am not going to jump the gun because there are rules and guidelines for electioneering.
“The body that is responsible for that has stated the obvious when you can actually start campaign. The fact that people are actually flouting the guidelines is a fault of INEC and INEC is not taking them up on it.
“That is my own attitude to it and at appropriate time, I will tell my party because this is purely a party matter. It is not a public matter yet.
“So, I don’t really understand the level of curiosity; whether I am running or I am not running. I am very clear that what we have in this state today is not what this state deserves.
“I have always 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.
“I have also gone ahead to say this meeting is our usual gathering; it is not a place to declare the intention to run, but as to whether I am running or not, I am running.
“That is not debatable. But, I am a process person, I am not going to flout the law. You will know, you will all be invited when I decide to formally declare within the ambit of the guideline issued by INEC.”
Also reacting to the allegations that he would not get the votes of Ekiti workers, especially teachers, because he had dealt with them in his first term, the debt profile of Ekiti and the abandoned projects.
Fayemi said: “I dealt with teachers very well and they never experienced the kind of positive support from any government as they did when I was in office.
“For the first time in the state, teachers had their salaries raised three times within the period of three years. And for the very first time in the whole of Southwest, Ekiti teachers benefited, and I hope they are still benefiting, from a rural teachers’ allowance, which is twenty five percent of their salary.
“They also benefited from core subject allowance, which is another 25 per cent of their salaries. So, 50 percent of their basic salaries come to them as allowances, if you are teaching a core subjects teacher like English, Mathematics and Integrated Science or if you are serving in a place like Isan-Ekiti, which by our definition is rural area, you get an additional stipend because you are not in the city.”
Reacting to the White Paper issued by the Fayose government, which banned him from holding public office for 10 years, Fayemi said the said White Paper cannot stop his ambition, describing the document as the final result of months of political witch-hunting by the Ayo Fayose 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, we will know who is right between the two of us.”
Fayemi expressed gratitude to party leaders, led by the APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, for their sacrifice in keeping the party together.
He said the quarterly meeting was not an avenue to declare governorship ambition but to rejoice together in the spirit of Easter and deliberate on ways to move the party forward.
Fayemi called for unity among party members to ensure victory at the poll. He appealed to those he may have wronged in the past to forgive him, adding that he has forgiven those who offended him.
He said: “We have been holding this quarterly meeting, this is not the first time but this meeting is different. The reason why it is different is that we are celebrating Easter and the last one we held was during Christmas.
“This is Easter. Ekiti is about to resurrect; peace, jobs, food and other good things are coming back to Ekiti.
“When we called this meeting, some has been insinuating that it will be used for declaration of ambition. I am a party leader, I am a party leader and I don’t violate party rules and it is not out of fear.
“If Fayemi says he is ready to do something, he will not do it secretly. I will come to the party secretariat, I will come there and tell our leaders elected to run the affairs of the party.
“INEC has just released election notice. They said public campaign begins in Ekiti State on April 14. Let us wait till then, whether we are sure of ourselves or not, we will know then.
“I am a member of the government. I will not violate the constitution. I will not violate the Electoral Act. I follow due process. When the time comes, I will enlist your support.”
Fayemi added: “The most important task for us is to regain our rights that were wrongfully taken away from us.
By the grace of God, all those LCDAs are coming back and all of you will go back to represent your people.
“We created EKSTMA, Peace Corps, Social Security stipends for the aged, youths in commercial agriculture, youth volunteer scheme, we constructed roads, markets, hospitals, palaces, town halls and we paid bursaries. Where are all these again?
“The money coming to Ekiti now is double of what we received when we were in government and there is nothing to justify what the present government is receiving.
“They are using thugs to intimidate our people and somebody said yesterday that he has a White Paper but I have a Red Card. We will know which is more potent between a White Paper and a Red Card.
“For our red card to be effective, we must be disciplined; some of us talk as if they are spies in our party to allow these impostors in government to wreak more havoc.
“There is nobody that has been privileged to head a government that will not offend people. I have learnt my lessons since I left. Those that I offended, I beg you to forgive me and those that offended me, I have forgiven you.
“Whoever that our party elects as candidate,we should all support him because we must take that Okebareke (Government House) back. The most important task to me and true progressives is that we must take over government in Ekiti.
“Party members desist from abusing themselves, whoever you support, you are free to advertise your candidate. Don’t run down other aspirants; tell others what your candidate will do for the people,
their children, youth and others.
“Ekiti election will not be won on Twitter, WhatsApp or Facebook, it will be won at the polling units, election will not be won on the social media because the election oracle (Ifa) is at the polling units.
“When the primary comes up on May 5, Chief Oyegun swore to us that there will be no rigging at the Ekiti APC primary and it will be peaceful, transparent, open, free and fair.
“You saw the Lagos APC presidential primary that I presided over which brought President Buhari to power. After the Ekiti primary, whoever emerges will be candidate.
“Spread the gospel that this is what they said at Isan. Your PVC in one hand, your Red Card in the other hand. We don’t warn our primary to be crisis-ridden, we are ready to support the winner.”
The entry of Fayemi into the race is expected to change the complexion of the battle for the party’s ticket.
Fayemi has advantage of being a serving minister and a friend to many of the APC governors. But, other aspirants are expected to give him a run for his money. The element of surprise cannot be ruled out in a shadow poll.
He is expected to slug it out with his predecessor, Chief Segun Oni; former Deputy Senate Chief Whip Gbenga Aluko; Presidential Adviser on Political Matters Senator Babafemi Ojudu; former House of Representatives members Hon. Bimbo Daramola, Bamidele Faparusi and Opeyemi Bamidele; Dr. Wole Oluleye, Chief Diran Adesua, Hon. Femi Bamisile, Ishola Fapounda, Yinka Akerele, Muyiwa Olumilua, and Mr. Kola Alabi.
The leaders of the APC have a tough assignment on their hands to ensure a free and fair shadow poll and prevent a post-primary crisis.