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The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has declared his intention to contest the July 14 governorship election in the Ekiti State.
Dr Fayemi who was Governor of the state between 2010 and 2014, made his intention known to journalists in an interview at his Ishan Ekiti country home on Saturday.
Asked if he intends to return to the government house, he said: “Yes, I will run for the governorship of our state. As a leader of the party, I am going to follow the due process as laid down by our party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This include formal notification of the leadership of the party, presentation of letter of intent at the state secretariat and a public declaration.”
Governor Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who floored Fayemi in the polls in 2014, preventing him from getting a second term, recently accented to a state government White Paper banning his predecessor from playing pilotics in the state.
INEC has scheduled April 15th for the commencement of electioneering process for the July election.
Earlier, the Minister had addressed a mammoth crowd of party leaders from all the 177 wards of the state at the APC leaders meeting held in Ishan Ekiti, where he urged them to be united in the battle to unseat the incumbent PDP-led government.
State Chairman of the party, High Chief Jide Awe, deputy chairman, Chief (Mrs) Kemi Olaleye; State Secretary, Barrister Paul Omotosho led other state, local government and ward executives as well as elders of the party to the quarterly meeting.
His Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode quoted him as saying that the huge number of aspirants jostling for the APC ticket was a good development for the party, Dr Fayemi urged all aspirants and their supporters to pursue their ambitions with decency, and placing emphasis on their credentials and plans to lift the state from its present state.
He also accused the PDP-led government in the state of lacking ideas that woukd benefit the people and stressed that “the July 14 election would be an opportunity to halt the brigandage and maladministration going on in the state.”
He vowed to restore all the local Council Development areas (LCDAs) he created if he wins.
“Our people clamoured for the creation of these LCDAs and they were created for them. But the PDP cancelled all of them. I can assure you all, the new APC government would restore your LCDAs because that is what the people want.” he said.