Ekiti: Fayemi picks APC nomination form, restates committment to issue-based campaign

Mr. Fayemi promises to consolidate on transformational agenda.

The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday obtained the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination form to seek re-election as governor of the state.

The governor, who presented a Zenith Bank cheque of N5.5 million to obtain the form at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, stated that he is seeking re-election in order to consolidate the “good works” his administration started in 2010.

The governor, accompanied by his deputy, Modupe Adelabu, lawmakers representing the state at the National Assembly, the Director-General of his campaign organization, Bimbo Daramola, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin and a crowd of supporters, arrived the APC national secretariat at about 11a.m and was received by the National Secretary of the party, Tijani Tumsah and the National Organising Secretary, Osita Izunaso.

Mr. Fayemi called on Nigerians to reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the coming general elections, stressing that the mishandling of the recent Immigration recruitment exercise in which scores of applicants lost their lives is enough reason to send the ruling party at the centre packing.

The governor called for a minute silence in memory of the dead applicants, saying the PDP-led Federal Government has failed Nigerians, especially the younger generation.

Mr. Fayemi said: “My excitement today is tempered by the horrific news that we have received in the last few days, of the death of scores of young people who sought employment but were given death by the federal government.

“The very inhumane treatment meted to our young people nationwide in the course of the recently conducted recruitment exercise of the Nigerian Immigration Service is a sad commentary to the degree of incompetence that pervades our federal government under the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). I strongly condemn this ugly incident which is a shame to us as a country,” he said.

While urging Ekiti people to be very vigilant in the coming days, the governor charged them not to be swayed by the deception of some people who seek power in the state so as to impede the developmental gains his administration has achieved in the last 3 years.

He assured that his party would not relent in delivering the goods to the people even as he expressed confidence that the APC would emerge winner of the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Mr. Fayemi noted that the party has demonstrated good governance and commitment to the people in all the states it is in power across the country.

In his remarks, the interim National secretary of the party, Tijani Tumsah said it was quite evident that Ekiti people were being served conscientiously by Mr. Fayemi and his team in the last three and a half years, hence their enthusiasm about his re-election bid.

The party secretary added that the national body of the party has done its “reviews, investigation and evaluation” and has seen Governor Fayemi as a true representative of the APC ideology in Nigeria.

He also explained that the return of Mr. Fayemi would prove to the generality of Nigerians that the APC has been accepted as the change agent party in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the National Organizing Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso said the purchase of the nomination form was in line with the constitution of the APC and the Electoral Act and would be followed by a primary election for gubernatorial aspirants on April 12.

Mr. Izunaso, who handed Governor Fayemi the nomination form, described the APC as the fastest growing political party in the black world with 16 governors and many lawmakers in less than one year of its emergence.

A large group of women and youth danced and sang as the governor was handed the nomination form at the modest ceremony which held at the conference hall of the APC national secretariat.

Speaking to journalists after the exercise, Governor Fayemi said he would run an issue-based campaign devoid of violence, adding that the business of government would not suffer during the period of electioneering.