Fayose, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had administered the state between 2003 and 2006, was massively re-elected as governor on Saturday, June 21, defeating the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in all the 16 local government areas of the state. Even though there was deployment of tens of thousands of soldiers, policemen and other security personnel, the election has been adjudged very free, fair and transparent. Governor Fayemi had immediately accepted the results and conceded victory, congratulating and even meeting with the governor-elect. It is the first time such would be happening since the commencement of the current democratic dispensation.
Some notable traditional rulers in the state, in separate interviews with Daily Sun, also hailed the governorship election, even as they applauded Fayemi for not only transforming the state, but for accepting the wish of the people. They also counselled the governor-elect on what to do for Ekiti people once he takes the oath of office in October.
Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti and Chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Council, Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola, said he was confident that Fayose would justify the confidence reposed in him by the people, recalling that the governor-elect also accomplished a lot for Ekiti even in his first outing as governor. He charged Fayose to continue with all the ongoing projects of the current administration.
“Any project started by Fayemi, he should not abandon it. He should know it’s Ekiti money, and the projects are in Ekiti. So, whatever Fayemi could not complete, Fayose should complete them. That’s how government should be run. The only one that he may want to abandon is any white elephant project, but I’ve not seen any. The only one that the people are complaining about is the new Government House, or Governor’s Office, that is being built on top of the hill in Ado-Ekiti. Our people are saying that the place should be converted to an international hotel, so that the governor will continue to live among us,” he stated.
The monarch, a respected surveyor, said the incoming governor should not waste Ekiti resources on building giant industries that might be moribund as a result of the pitiable power situation in the country. Instead, he would want Fayose to focus on small and medium-sized businesses, cottage industries and other employment initiatives that could be powered by small generators to rescue a large number of youths from the labour market.
“That notwithstanding, he should empower the companies being rejuvenated by the present government and enable them to start functioning. The Ire Blocks Industry, for instance, should be allowed to continue running. And any grandiose project should not be embarked upon. His government should also start thinking of how we could generate our own power in Ekiti. All these universities should come up with research on how to generate electricity. The problem with us here is that we want easy money, so we all go into buying and selling. We are not creative. The polytechnics and universities here should come together and generate electricity. Yes, we don’t have large waters here for hydro-electricity, but we can go into nuclear energy for peaceful means. And we can even develop solar energy. In Saudi Arabia, almost each house has its own solar machine, and they don’t lack electricity. So the governor should also explore that area.”
Oba Babalola described the election won by Fayose as the best in the country in recent times. He also praised the defeated candidates for accepting the verdict and promising to work with the winner.
“I congratulate myself and congratulate Ekiti people for having a peaceful, free and fair election. I congratulate the people for refusing to be intimidated by the presence of the armed troops. And the outcome indicates the direction that Ekiti people want to follow. So, there is nothing amiss in the election. It was transparently conducted and the result is credible.”
The royal father asserted that Governor Fayemi is highly educated and well travelled. “And with what he has done in Ekiti, I believe he must have thought that he would win the election overwhelmingly. But if after all he has done, he still suffered such a heavy defeat, then he must have seen that it was the wish of the people. And he has accepted that. Fayemi has done what only a gentleman in a civilised world can do. He believes that instead of wasting money going from tribunal to court and all that, he has accepted the verdict. He should be praised for that.”
Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaye, said the governor-elect should also endeavour to fulfil his campaign promises to the people.
The royal father, an eminent jurist and the first Chief Judge of Ekiti State, hailed the June 21 governorship election, averring that the fact that the exercise was free and transparent without a single incident of violence, rigging or snatching of ballot box indicated that Ekiti people were quite sophisticated and capable of leading Nigeria in the elusive search for electoral credibility.
“Apart from the June 12, 1993 elections, this is the best election I have ever witnessed,” said the lawyer turned monarch.
Oba Ajakaye, the traditional ruler of the hometown of Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, the Labour Party’s candidate in the election, noted that youth unemployment is a major crisis plaguing the state. He said what would be most fulfilling to the traditional rulers in all the towns and villages in Ekiti is for Fayose to find a way of combating youth unemployment.
“First of all, he should find a means of encouraging them to go to the farm. Kayode Fayemi had started the process. He should build on the foundation properly laid by Fayemi in that area. And this is the 21st century, no longer the days of cutlass-and-hoe farming. He should find a way of recruiting the youths and then get them trained in commercial farming, because, Ekiti is an agrarian state, not an industrialised state.
”Again, we should look for a way of industrialising the state a bit. Some of our farm products, we should be able to make use of them here. When I was commissioner in the old Ondo State, we were able to establish the Cocoa Industry in Ile Oluji since cocoa is a major product there. We should have a way of conserving our farm products. For example, during the farming season, we usually have a lot of maize and other products. But these things waste away because we can’t conserve them. We should be able to build storages across the state.
“I think government should also develop housing in the state. I’m not impressed with the housing policies of government over the years. If you look at Ado-Ekiti, the place is getting congested, and the rent is high. We should avoid developing slums. In most of our towns now, there are no proper planning layouts and no proper authorities supervising construction of buildings. Fayose should look into all these.
“The governor-elect should also not re-establish the universities scrapped by Fayemi. I think a single university properly funded is okay for Ekiti. Our state does not have the resources to maintain more than one university. We may have colleges of the university here and there, but I think one university is good enough for Ekiti.”
Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, the traditional ruler of Governor Fayemi’s town, said the governor-elect should continue with projects started by Fayemi, especially in his community. One of such projects, he said, is the ongoing construction of the Isan-Obo Road. He said Fayose must not abandon the project.
“There is also the College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture in the town which Fayemi has started. The governor-elect should not abandon the school. He should continue with it. There are also rumours that he would remove the administrative headquarters of the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) from Isan-Ekiti once he’s sworn in. But I don’t believe he would do that, because he’s not someone that would want to hurt any community or any individual unduly,” the royal father said.
Oba Ajiboye, a lawyer, educationist and criminologist, noted that it is natural that any community would want to support its own son in a major contest. He implored the governor-elect to continue with the infrastructural development of the entire state, an area in which, according to him, the current governor has performed very creditably.
In his own view, Oba Joseph Ajibare Ademilua, Alafao of Afao-Ekiti, Fayose’s hometown, counselled the governor-elect to listen to the words of elders and do whatever the people want. The monarch, who celebrated his 50th anniversary on the throne last year, said the governor-elect should continue with the infrastructural development of Ekiti State which he started during his first outing as governor.
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