16th July, 2018
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Gov. Abdulaziz Yari, has congratulated Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the All Progressives Congress candidate, for his victory in the Ekiti Governorship Election on Saturday.
The message was issued by the Head, Media and Public Affairs, NGF Secretariat, Mr Abdulrazaque Barkindo, in Abuja on Monday, on behalf of Yari.
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Fayemi as the winner of the election with 197,459 votes in the contest involving 35 candidates.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and current Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, scored 178,121 votes to come second.
Yari said on behalf of the governors of the 36 states that elections were usually healthy contests that determined who assumed leadership for a certain period and not a victor and vanquished affair.
He said that all contestants regardless of their party manifestoes primarily were agents of governance that wished to improve the welfare of the people.
“Since the people of Ekiti have spoken, the governor-elect, who once showed humility and courage and congratulated the out-going governor four years ago should this time around also be magnanimous in victory by expressing his fervent desire to govern Ekiti for the benefit of all.”
The NGF chairman, while wishing the out-going governor of Ekiti, Mr Ayodele Fayose, luck in his new endeavours, said NGF would miss his invaluable contributions at its meetings.
Yari also welcomed the in-coming governor to NGF, which “Fayemi is returning as a ranking and experienced member.”
He expressed the hope that Fayemi would join hands with other governors to strengthen the forum and add value to the deliberations at the forum’s monthly meetings.
Yari added that members of the forum were happy with high expectations to have Fayemi return from the Federal Executive Council to an NGF that was stronger and more united.
He said that the forum currently operated seamlessly without recourse to party affiliation or regional interests.
“Finally, we at the NGF forum, myself as the chairman and the secretariat pray that Fayemi would be guided to lead Ekiti State from glory to glory and strength to strength in the next four years of his second tenure.”