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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