My politics is not politics of bitterness –Fayemi
Says Ekiti is the only mono-ethnic state in Nigeria

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, Deputy political editor

IN SPITE of series of violence, mud-slinging, accusations and counter-accusations among the contestants during the electioneering campaigns, the Ekiti June 21 governorship election has arguably come and gone as Nigeria’s most peaceful and credible polls in recent times.

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti (l) and Governor-Elect, Mr Ayo Fayose, during Fayose’s visit to the Governor in Ado-Ekiti on Monday

A host of reasons have been advanced for the peaceful and free and fair polls. They include heavy presence of security agents and the determination of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to umpire unbiased exercise.

The determination and conduct of Ekiti electorate cannot also be glossed over. They came out in their numbers despite the massive military presence to exercise their franchise and remained behind to ‘protect their votes’ after balloting.

Besides, three weeks to the election, the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi organized a sensitization workshop for Ekiti political stakeholders where the candidates, INEC and police promised to ensure rancour-free and credible elections.

General David Jemibewon (rtd), who chaired the event and other speakers such as Obi, Mr. Ayokunle Fagbemi, Dr Eddie Iroh, Robina Namusisi (Country Director, IRI), Dr Mourtada Deme (Project Director, UNDP-DGD), and US Consul-General, Jeff Hopkins among others challenged the stakeholders to make the polls the best election ever and pave the way for credible polls in 2015.

Indeed, Jemibewon, had in his opening remarks, said: “Election is a formal decision –making process by which people select an individual to be their leader in public office…since the office is constitutionally to be occupied by a person, only one contestant must win in any given office. It is the responsibility of all contetsants to ensure that any one of them that is chosen by the majority of the people should be accepted and the rest should rally round the successful one in the interest of the populace and the development of the nation.

“Let me also say that for the contestants to also accept defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship, they must know and accept that the winner is the people’s choice and should have satisfied feeling that though they contested, the will of the people has prevailed. It is therefore important that we must all join hands to ensure that all hindrances and obstacles that could cast doubts in the minds of our candidates are removed. Openness and accountability should be the watchwords as they comprise the cornestone of any democratic system.”

Why Ekiti is unique, dislikes external influence
Before the stakeholders’ workshop, Governor Fayemi, in an interview with Political Editors gave reasons it would be difficult to rig the polls and why the contestants would embrace one another in the overall interest of Ekiti after the polls.

His words: “Every time election was manipulated in Ekiti, the result has not been palatable. Whether you refer to 1964 – 65 wetie crisis, which eventually culminated in the 1966 coup detat – Ekiti was even a stronger zone of resistance than Ijebu where Chief Awolowo hailed from and of course, when you talk of the 1983 election rigging in Ondo State, we all can remember what happened here.  And of course, my own recent experience has also demonstrated that people are far too sensitive to allow external interference in their affairs.”

Politics without bitterness
Answering a question on why he was the only All Progressives Congress (APC) governor that was in Ondo State when Governor Olusegun Mimiko, a Labour Party (LP) governor was inaugurated for a second term, he said:  “If you know my politics you will know that that is not really exceptional. I’m  very friendly with Peter Obi, but I went to campaign  for my party’s  candidate – Chris Ngige in Anambra State and I actually called Peter that  I was in town to campaign for Chris Ngige. Governor Mimiko is my Egbon in our local parlance here.

I’d like to think he is still my friend. For me, there is a whole world of difference between ideological affinity and friendship. I’ve many friends in PDP – one of my closest friends was the PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State before he eventually came back to us (APC) and became the secretary to the state government and even when he was in PDP and was working with President Obasanjo, it didn’t really affect our friendship.

“For me, my politics is not politics of bitterness. Opeyemi (Bamidele, LP candidate) used to be a good friend, I’m sure you know.  He chose to distance himself on account of his ambition and he has every right to be ambitious. Every human being should have ambition but that should not turn him into an enemy. He is therefore my opponent but he is not my enemy.

Governor Fayose is my acquaintance and I’m sure if you ask him he would probably tell you the same. I may have my own issues with him, he probably has his own issues with me but he is a former governor of this state and deserves to be respected. For me, I do not think anyone who occupies this seat should do anything to denigrate the office because there is a mystique around the office that we must all protect; whether you are a putative aspirant for the office or you are the occupant, you should not denigrate the position.

“After election is over, governance begins and don’t be surprised, if there is any reason for us to come together in the ultimate best interest of Ekiti state and Ekiti people, I’m going to solicit for their assistance and wise counsel. And besides, Ekiti is unique. We are different from any other state. This is the only mono-ethnic place you can point to in Nigeria. Even Bayelsa still has strands but in Ekiti we are one stock. We are the same people and we are probably all related in one form or the other in our various 132 communities. In politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent opponents.”

Fayemi’s concession
The governor lived up to his words. Shortly after the polls when it became obvious that he had lost, he phoned and congratulated Fayose without consulting APC leaders, who according to reports had contrary opinion and were still compiling evidence of irregularities in readiness for the tribunal.

Fayemi said he would not go to the tribunal and rather elected to meet with Fayose to rub minds on the transition programme and how to take Ekiti to the next level.

In a 474-word concession speech, Fayemi said: “If indeed this is the will of the Ekiti People, I stand in deference to your will. If the result of the elections is an expression of the voice of our people, we must all heed your voice. I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory.

In a few hours from now, I would be meeting the Governor-elect to discuss the future of our dear state and how we would work together to institute a smooth transition programme. “It has been a hard fought election. As expected, in the course of the campaigns, there were unsavory episodes as the candidates toured the nooks and crannies of the state to sell ourselves to the people.

Elections tend to be highly divisive affairs that often see brother rising against brother. Despite our diverse party affiliations, and regardless of which way we voted on Saturday, we must remember that we are all sons and daughters of Ekiti State. Ekiti is ours to build together.”