Having been
elected in the fiercely-contested July 14 governorship election, former
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was Tuesday
sworn-in as the new Governor of Ekiti State, with President Muhamadu Buhari
expressing confidence in the ability of the new governor to deliver democracy
dividends to the people.
Fayemi
trounced the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the poll, Prof
Kolapo Olusola, with a marginal victory of about 19,028 votes.
Buhari, who
was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said Fayemi as a former member of the Federal
Executive Council (FEC), had persistently been disturbing him about the
development of the state.
Fayemi, who
was clad in white Agbada and brown ‘Awolowo cap’ to march, was sworn-in by the
Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, amid cheers from admirers
and party members, who were decked in Aso Ebi and filled the main bowl of the
Ekiti Parapo pavilion along old Iyin road, Ado-Ekiti capital city, at about
11.45am.
Earlier, the
Deputy Governor-elect, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi took the oaths of office and
allegiance at about 12.20pm.
The Governor
also inspected the guard of honour, after a police parade that ushered in his
government.
Dignitaries
at the ceremony include: former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno,
Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Former Senate President, Chief Ken
Nnamani, ex-APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and former Ekiti State
Governors, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Bamidele Olumilua.
Governors at
the event were: Governors of Ogun, Ibikunle Amosu; Oyo, Abiola Ajimobi; Kebbi,
Atiku Bagudu; Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; Lagos, Akinwumi Ambode; Ondo, Rotimi
Akeredolu; Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar, among other Nigerians and members of the
diplomatic corp who graced the occasion.
The
President added that Fayemi, assuming the governorship of the state, would
afford him the opportunity to redirect Ekiti to the path of greatness and
abundance in terms of economic prosperity.
Buhari
pleaded passionately with Ekiti voters over his re-election bid in 2019, saying
he has a lot to offer Nigerians if given a second term during the contest with
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the PDP.
He said: “I
know Dr Fayemi very well, he has always cherished anything that has to do with
the development of this state. As Ekiti governor between 2010 and 2014, he instituted
some laudable projects that impacted positively on the lives of the people and
this pavilion was one of them.
“I know that
he will do what is right to justify this mandate. I charge him not to relent in
his efforts to serve Ekiti with passion, commitment and candour.
“FG has
given supports to states in the areas of bailouts, budget support, ecological
funds and Paris club refund, of which Ekiti was a beneficiary.
“We have
extended the standard rail project to Ekiti and the construction of the Federal
Secretariat will soon be completed. The FG is also planning to dualise
Ado-Akure road and reconstruct Ado-Ikare road for the use of our people. We
have also built another 133kva power source in Ekiti that will be commissioned
soon.
“As of
today, 11,000 Ekiti indigenes are benefiting from the N-power programme of this
administration.
“We are
confident that Dr. Fayemi will help cover the lost grounds brought by past
administration. From today, you will begin to have a new breath in Ekiti under
the present government,” Buhari said.
Speaking
earlier, Fayemi said his government would work hard to bring succour to the
populace, by removing the canker worm of corruption that has eaten deep into
the state’s fabrics under the PDP-led government of Governor Ayodele Fayose.
He revealed
that all the finances of the last administration shall be reviewed but not in a
vindictive manner, saying this became imperative to ensure that the culture of
prudence and financial propriety are brought to bear in the governance of the
state.
Fayemi
lamented that the state is indebted to the tune of N170 billion being loans
taken to undertake some projects during the last administration, assuring
however that the challenge won’t impede his government from delivering
dividends of democracy to the citizens.
The former
minister stated that Ekiti under him won’t slide and degenerate to the level of
allowing school children to pay various taxes in their quests to receive formal
education.
He promised
that his government shall reinstate the N5,000 social security to the elderly
and make tremendous positive impacts in the areas of agriculture, social
investment and economy.
“In the last
four years, Ekiti was governed by a rudderless, inept and egregiously corrupt
government, which was led by those who deceived our people through the
instrument of stomach infrastructure.
“In this
context, never again will Ekiti slip into the hands of those who knew nothing
about governance, never again shall we allow our school children to pay taxes,
never again shall we abandon the burgeoning resources at Ikogosi Warm Spring to
waste, never again shall we allow our judiciary to be debased by draconian
government and never again shall the most educated State like Ekiti be apostle
of stomach infrastructure that has made us laughing stock.
“In our
quests for economic rejuvenation, our government shall invest heavily in Youth
in commercial Agriculture, because Ekiti is basically agrarian, reactivate
community based projects, tap into our tourist potential and ensure security of
local and foreign investors.
“As of
today, the debt profile and other financial commitment hanging on the state
look challenging, but with your supports, we shall overcome. The light shall
shine again. We shall celebrate our core values of scholarship, knowledge ,
hardwork, unity and strong characters bequeathed to us by our founding fathers.
“We
appreciate our fathers who fought for the creation of this state in 1996 and I
want to assure them that we shall keep the flag flying and make sure we don’t
disappoint them by fulfilling their dreams and aspirations within the next four
years.
“We shall
network with the federal government and other local and international bodies to
bring the dividends of democracy Ekiti people deserve to their doorsteps,”
Fayemi assured.
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