Here is the speech delivered by the Governor-Elect of Ekiti State shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him winner of Saturday’s governorship election:
In o kun o, Ekiti Kete.
- It is my honour to address you at this historic day in the annals of our political history as a people.
- Yesterday, Saturday July 14, 2018, you the people of Ekiti spoke and your voice was heard resoundingly. Yesterday, in keeping with the finest traditions of democracy, we determined through the ballot box to change the course of our destiny for good.
- Today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affirmed your collective verdict and formally returned our party the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the 2018 Ekiti gubernatorial election. Today’s victory is to the resilient people of Ekiti State whose brightness and hope never dimmed in the face of untold hardship and all forms of indignity under the PDP leadership who have ruled them like a conquered people. As a survival strategy, our people were forced to hail them on the streets all in a bid to survive. They brandished this as a mark of approval, validation and popularity with our people. Ekiti Kete, this is not just a day of our victory through the ballot. This is indeed the day of the liberation of Ekiti land. Our collective rescue mission and the audacious dream to reclaim our land and restore our values have attained a new height on the journey to full realization.
- Therefore, by the grace of God, I, Dr. Kayode Fayemi address you today as Governor-elect, alongside Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi as Deputy Governor-elect. Together, we offer our heartfelt gratitude on behalf of our party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) – to you the people for entrusting us with your mandate.
- We are particularly pleased that while there were reports of minor breaches as you would find with any high stakes contest, the entire process was adjudged to be generally free, fair, and credible.
- The very nature of elections are divisive as we cannot all see things from the same perspective, neither can we all have the same preference for political parties and candidates. However, regardless of how we voted yesterday, I encourage us all to accept the results in true democratic spirit and commence the journey to reuniting our state. Despite the divisive nature of the contest, I want you to remember our bond of unity as Ekiti people. I, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, hereby offer myself to be the governor of all irrespective of faith, creed or political belief.
- I salute all fellow candidates for enriching the process and for your civility and patriotism in accepting the outcome of this exercise. I look forward to consulting with you all to secure your input as we fine-tune our governance agenda for the years ahead.
- I also thank all government entities that participated in the process in one way or the other, especially the INEC and our security agencies, for upholding their neutrality and professionalism in the discharge of their respective mandates.
- Likewise, I thank all Civic Society actors, the international community, our traditional institutions, religious organisations, trade and labour organisations, and the media, for their activities which have in no small measure contributed to the success of the elections.
- Lastly, we thank our President, Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of our party at all levels for the support in bringing Ekiti back to the progressive fold.
- Ekiti Kete, by the grace of the Almighty God, the end of your travails is near and I congratulate us all for Reclaiming our Land and commencing the journey to Restoring our Values.
- As we look forward to the inauguration of the new APC administration on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, I offer my assurances that we will not wait till then to bring immediate succour to you. We will proactively explore all avenues within the limits of the law, especially through the Transition Committee to be set up very soon, to ensure the outgoing administration prioritises the payment of the backlog of salaries to all categories of workers and pensioners.
- We shall also ensure the business of governance is once again conducted in an atmosphere of transparency and accountability as we would cooperate with the relevant agencies of state to determine why our people have experienced so much suffering in spite of the vast resources that has been available to the current administration.
- In the same vein, we would commence immediate consultations with the many corporate organisations and development agencies that had left the state due to the draconian measures put in place by the outgoing administration, in order to once again attract the participation of such enablers of jobs creation, peace, and prosperity in our state.
- Ekiti kete, I conclude by thanking and congratulating you all again for this your victory, and pray that this day shall be remembered for the good of our state for generations to come.
May God bless the land of honour Ekiti State!!!
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, CON
Governor-Elect, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Ado, Ekiti | Sunday, July 15, 2018
