Fayemi receives defectors, declares second term bid

[Mirror]

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State yesterday declared his intention to recontest the governorship election.

Fayemi who made the declaration at a rally to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 election said it was in response to the yearnings of people across all strata in the 16 councils of the state.

He said: "I am ready to accept as ever to offer myself for your service. I am ready to accept your wish to offer myself for more hard work even more than what we have done already.

"I am ready to offer myself as the vessel for the consolidation of democracy gains in the state."

Former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo set the tune last December when he led other leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to endorse the governor for a second term.

At yesterday's event held at Oluyemi Olukayode Stadium where Fayemi received defectors from other political parties to the ACN, he reiterated the determination of his administration to banish poverty from the state, saying "we will continue with our development strides in all sectors of the economy".

The governor, who said he was not afraid of any challenge from the opposition, said: "I am ready to embrace them because we are all Ekiti. But if they are ready for a serious battle, I am ready for them. I am not in any way afraid of them."

Fayemi, who said the struggle for freedom had not ended, said May 29 which some marked as Democracy Day would not have been realistic without June 12, hence its celebration in Ekiti State and other South-West states as well as others where truth was being upheld.

He said the progressive governors imbibed the lessons of June 12 with which they were able to prevent the outcome of the Nigerian Governors' Forum, NGF, meeting from being annulled.

The politicians who defected to ACN included the former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Vice- Chairman (South), Chief Ayo Peters from Emure- Ekiti; and Mrs. Bose Balogun from Iyin-Ekiti.

National Mirror