•Gov. FAYEMI’s Game-Plan Revealed
Right now, the ranks of Yoruba members of the APC is divided between those who support the ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and those opposed to his candidacy. This is because of the fast approaching 2023 Presidential elections. At least 5-key Yoruba politicians in the APC are believed to be interested in the Presidency.
Although, he has not declared his intention to run for the Presidency, the general believe is that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is running, come 2023. It is also a well known fact that the recent crisis and choas that rocked Lagos, resulting from the #EndSARS riots which led to the burning down of many public buildings was all meant to get Tinubu to drop his 2023 Presidential ambition.
Other Yoruba leaders in APC like, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and Gov. Kayode Fayemi have all been pencilled down to run for the Presidency come 2023.
As you read this, City People can authoritatively reveal that pressure is being mounted on Gov. Kayode Fayemi to run. The recent speech of the Sultan of Sokoto and Kaduna Governor when Fayemi went to deliver a speech in Kaduna has sent tongues wagging.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar described Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi as an adopted son of the late Sadauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. That was a weighty statement to make. Sultan Bello made this declaration while welcoming guests at the 50th Anniversary Lecture /Awards ceremony of Arewa House, the internationally acclaimed centre for historical documentation of Northern Nigeria. “He’s a son we are proud of in the North. He’s of course the adopted son of our leader and father, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He is going to be given all due love of a son of the soil because he is the adopted son of our father “ Sultan said.
Reinforcing this when he took over the podium, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said the North does not do anything without reason or half measured. “The choice of the Guest Speaker of today, my brother, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, is not by accident. We don’t do anything by accident in Arewa. And I am sure you will soon know his choice is not by accident. There is a reason and I am sure that reason will get clearer as time goes on” he said.
The 50th Anniversary Lecture held at TetFund renovated hall, inside the last official residence of Sir Ahmadu Bello witnessed a mammoth crowd with close to another thousand people accommodated in an overflow inside the late premier of Northern region’s library.
President Muhammadu Buhari represented by Minister of Water Resources led the list of eminent personalities that included Sultan Abubakar, Shehu of Borno, several Emirs, Governors Aminu Tambuwal, Atiku Bagudu, Muhammadu Badaru and Kayode Fayemi who also received a recognition award from the apex Northern organization for Leadership, and Integrity. That statement made by the Sultan has been interpreted to mean that Fayemi would be supported by North when the time comes for elections. It also goes to confirm the widely held view that for the North to leave in 2023, it will need to have a say in the choice of candidate from the South-West. Rumour has it that the Buhari core loyalists from the North have insisted that they would like to have a say in who the South West presents. They feel Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is too tough for them to handle and they will rather prefer to work with any of his Boys.
Interestingly, for a long time now, many pro-Tinubu loyalists have been accusing Fayemi of not being loyal to Asiwaju Tinubu. Infact for months now, the allegation has been that Fayemi has his own Political Agenda which is different from Asiwaju’s agenda. They claim he seems loyal to Pres. Buhari & those in the North. They see him as the one the North wants to use to stop Tinubu. That is why Senator Babafemi Ojudu & some APC topshots in Ekiti have had a running battle with Fayemi for months. What made many believe that Fayemi was part of the anti-Tinubu group was his role in the Edo Election. Although he has denied it, many Tinubu loyalist believe and insist that Kayode Fayemi’s anti party role in the Edo Governorship made the APC guber candidate to lose. Fayemi and other governors were alleged to have supported the PDP governor who won. Fayemi was alleged to be the leader of the rebels who tackled Oshiomole. He had organised 3 peace meetings but when it failed, he and other governors took him on.
But those who are close to Fayemi have repeatedly denied the allegation of disloyalty. They claim that Fayemi has not been disloyal to Asiwaju in any way or form. They insist that contrary to that view of thought, Fayemi has over the years maintained a healthy relationship with his godfather who made him Governor during his first term.
The Governor himself has over the years defended himself. He has also written books to articulate his thoughts and to justify his political position that he is one of those behind the new school of thought in Politics that the game of Politics be refined in Nigeria. He and other younger politicians believe for example that it is time for new and young players to take over Politics.
His new role as Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum has helped him galvanise all the 36 states governors. Since Fayemi became Chairman he has given the Forum a lot of Character, Colour and Energy. Unlike before, under his Chairmanship, all the governors now speak with one voice.
There are those who believe that the Nigerian Governors have a plan to ensure that the next President & Vice comes from the Group. There are those who are already talking of a Tambuwal/Fayemi ticket while some others are taking of a El-Rufai/Fayemi ticket.
55 year old John Olukayode Fayemi, became Governor of Ekiti State, in October 2018. He previously served in office between 2010 and 2014 before losing re-election to Ayodele Fayose. He was also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from 11 November 2018 to 30 May 2018, when he resigned to contest for a second time as Governor of Ekiti State.
He is an indigene of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State.
Fayemi attended Christ’s School Ado Ekiti from 1975 to 1980. He later went on to receive degrees in History, Politics and International Relations from the University of Lagos and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). From 1989 to 1992, he underwent Doctorate program in War Studies from King’s College London, specializing in civil-military relations.
From 1985 to 1986, he was a Lecturer at the Nigeria-Police Training College in Sokoto. From 1987 to 1989 he was a Research Officer at Development & Management Consultants in Ikeja. From 1991 to 1993 he was a Research Officer at the African Research and Information Bureau in London. In 1992, he was a Tutorial Fellow at the War Studies Department at Kings College, London. From 1993 to 1995, he was the Strategy Development Adviser of Deptford City Challenge in London. From 1995 to 1997, he was the Secretary General of the Media Empowerment for Africa (The Radio Foundation) in London. He was also a Journalist with The Guardian and City Tempo; and the Editor of Nigeria-Now, a defunct political monthly magazine.
In 1997, Fayemi returned to Nigeria where he established the Centre for Democracy & Development, a research and training institution dedicated to the study and promotion of democratic development, peace-building and human security in Africa, where he served as Director from 1997 to 2006.
Fayemi has lectured in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. He has also served as an adviser on transitional justice, regional integration, constitutionalism, security sector reform and civil-military relations issues to various governments, inter-governmental institutions and development agencies. He was the main technical adviser to Nigeria’s The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (Oputa Panel), which investigated past abuses and served on the Presidential Implementation Committees on Security Sector Reform, NEPAD and the Millennium Development Goals. He was technical expert to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on small arms and light weapons and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on governance issues.At other times he has served as a consultant to the OECD on Security Sector Reform and chaired the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative’s Committee of Experts on developing guiding principles and mechanisms of constitution making in Commonwealth Africa.
In 2007, Fayemi made his entry into Politics by contesting for Governor of Ekiti State. After 3 and a half years fighting through the legal system, on 15 October 2010 the appeal court sitting in Kwara State declared Fayemi the duly elected Governor of Ekiti State, and marked the end of Olusegun Oni’s administration as the then Governor of the state. Daily Trust, a national daily, captured the electoral journey in its editorial, published on Friday, 22 October 2010 under the title, Closure to Ekiti 2007 Governorship Saga.
In April 2014, Fayemi was endorsed as the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the state’s gubernatorial elections slated for 21 June 2014. The emergence of Fayemi was preceded by congress held before the governor who had no contestant was endorsed as the flag bearers of their state in the governorship elections. Kayode Fayemi was defeated at the polls on 21 June 2014 by previous governor Ayodele Fayose.
Fayemi recontested for second term as Ekiti State governor under the platform of the All Progressive Congress in the 14 July, 2018 governorship election after resigning as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development. He was officially declared as the winner of the Governorship election in Ekiti State by the Independent National Electoral Commission on 15 July 2018. He won by 19,345 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party’s Kolapo Olusola Eleka who was second.
In October 2018, Fayemi was sworn in as Ekiti State governor for the second time. Fayemi was elected Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. This announcement was made by the immediate past Chairman, Abdulaziz Yari on Wednesday evening. He said Fayemi was unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum till 2021.
