Encomium
In a broadcast entitled, If This Is the Will of the People, Dr John Kayode Fayemi said on Sunday, June 22:
“Protocols
In o kun o Ekiti kete.
Yesterday, Ekiti State decided. Following the gubernatorial elections held in the land of honour, Ekiti State, Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially returned the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election.
If indeed this is the will of the Ekiti people, I stand in deference to your will. If the result of the election is an expression of the voice of our people, we must all heed your voice.
I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory. In a few hours from now, I would be meeting the governor-elect to discuss the future of our dear state and how we would work together to institute a smooth transition programme.
It has been a hard fought election. As expected, in the course of the campaigns, there were unsavory episodes as the candidates toured the nooks and crannies of the state to sell ourselves to the people. Elections tend to be highly divisive affair that often see brother rising against brother. Despite our diverse party affiliations, and regardless of which way we voted on Saturday, we must remember that we are all sons and daughters of Ekiti State. Ekiti is ours to build together.
On our part, over the course of the campaigns, we presented our scorecards before the people of Ekiti State. We never at any point took your support for granted. We campaigned, we canvassed and we traversed the nooks and crannies of this state. Our performance and achievements in office will remain the backdrop against which the next government and indeed future governments will be assessed. We are proud that with the support of Ekiti people, we have raised the bar of excellence in governance. In all, we gave our best, for conscience and for posterity.
Indeed, a new sociology of the Ekiti people may have evolved. However, the task of understanding how the outcome of this election has defined us as a people will be that of scholars. For us as an administration and a cadre of political leaders in Ekiti State, we have fought a good fight, we have kept faith.
To members of our party, our campaign team and indeed all Ekiti people who defied the siege on our state to cast their votes for our party, I salute your exemplary courage and doggedness in the face of harassment. Thank you for staying the course. The incidences of brazen harassment, intimidation and allied infractions on fundamental human rights, which many of you suffered in the hands of agents of the state, would be documented and communicated to the appropriate authorities, for the records.
I thank you all for listening.
May God bless the land of honour, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
SOLA SALAKO mourns FAYEMI’s woeful loss
Ms Sola Salako, broadcaster, TV host and the fiancé of Hon. Bimbo Daramola, Director General, Fayemi Campaign Organization also reacted this way:
“The morning after…
Still dealing with the aftershock of Federal Govt terrorism on Friday night…Then the shock of the results hit again like a tsunami…
Ekiti has redefined Nigerian politics for me…
Most of us prefer the worst of us to lead the rest of us…
It was not rigged; at least not in any way we are familiar with. The people spoke very loudly…
“We prefer distribution politics to developmental politics.”
Sad!
Ekitis made it abundantly clear that moral values, education, integrity, probity, development and honesty mean nothing in Nigerian politics.
Rather popularity, brigandage, lawlessness and violence are okay as long as it comes with “stomach infrastructure”… sad
Ekitis finally legalised Corruption and graft in Nigeria by their endorsement of the new Gov – elect, a man standing trial for corruption and murder…shocking!
I see Ekiti as a microcosm of Nigeria, so I hereby tender my unreserved apology to all who I have engaged on this platform about what is best for Nigeria. I misread the Nigerian majority. They obviously don’t want what I want. Now I know.
I am very proud of my friend, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and how he conducted himself as Governor in Ekiti State.
His style of governance will remain a benchmark for years to come whether Ekiti people appreciate him or not. Time will tell.
I am also proud of his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi for all she achieved for the women of Ekiti. Her capacity, compassion and fervent zeal for the upliftment of my gender will always be a reference point in gender empowerment globally.
I am very proud of my friend and soul mate, Congressman Bimbo Daramola for running one of the most strategic political campaigns I have ever experienced. You gave it your all because you cared. Having done all, you stand. Akanni t’emi nikan, you are still my hero!
To all JKF teams, supporters, well wishers, I salute you. We gave it our best and I take solace in the fact that all we did will stand the test of time. We believed in the Ekiti Project but the Ekiti people preferred another agenda. I wish them the best.
We didn’t lose to a better man; we lost to a warped social system that prefers palliatives to long term emancipation. Posterity will judge us all.
I almost took a bullet for what I believed; it’s sad that it would have been for nothing.
Congrats to the Ekiti people, I pray their expectations will not be cut off…
Next please…”
