By Kayode Fasua
Outgoing governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday began activities marking his end-of-tenure with a “thank you” tour of Ekiti North and Ekiti Central senatorial districts.
He was joined in the tour by the governor-elect, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, whom he urged the people to support.
Governor Fayemi, in company with his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Oyebanji and his wife, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji; the deputy governor-elect, Mrs Monisade Afuye, chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Paul Omotoso, and other government officials and party officials, was hosted to rousing receptions at Ido-Ekiti (North Senatorial district) and Aramoko Ekiti (Central District).
Addressing the carnival-like gatherings at the two venues, Dr Fayemi assured that the state would witness massive infrastructural development as the incoming administration would consolidate on his (Fayemi’s) achievements.
He added that Oyebanji would ensure the sustenance of good governance in the state.
He also urged the people to give governor-elect maximum cooperation and show him love same way they extended to his administration.
Governor Fayemi, whose tenure would end on October 16, explained that his administration had delivered on its promises to the people, despite the financial challenges experienced in the last four years.
According to the governor, his administration provided infrastructural facilitates that would enhance socio-economic activities of the state and expressed the confidence in the ability of the next governor to move the state to enviable heights.
He thanked the people and party leaders for giving him the opportunity to serve, promising that he would continue to render selfless services for the development of humanity.
“Really, it is a moment of gratitude; you have stood by us as a party, you have worked hard for the success of our government, you have sacrificed in order for us to maintain the developmental pace that we have witnessed in the state.
“We could have done a lot more, but we never envisaged that there will be something called COVID-19 pandemic when we came in 2018, but by March 2020, COVID-19 had come and it locked us down for at least 18 months before life started returning to normal.
“But we did not let that deter us, we still tried as much as possible to fulfil the promises we made to our people, either in terms of our education, healthcare, infrastructural development, women empowerment, or agriculture.
“We tried to maintain all of those improvements that we promised our people. Whatever is left, our government, our party is still in office.
“And we also have a governor who had institutional memory of what happened up till now, not just from the last eight years of my own tenure, he also had the benefit of even being there when our leader, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, was governor between 1999 and 2003.
“So in terms of institutional memory, he is even better placed than I was placed when I became governor in 2010, he would be able to continue seamlessly when he gets to office and in the areas where he still requires advice, assistance, support, I can assure you that he has nothing to fear, we would continue to be there for him.”
The governor also used the opportunity to appeal to those he might have crossed their paths in the course of his administration and begged for their forgiveness.
He urged them not to transfer whatsoever aggression they had for him to the in-coming administration, urging them to give Oyebanji their total support and loyalty to enable him achieve greater heights.
Representatives of the 10 local government areas in the two senatorial districts spoke glowingly about the achievements and personality of Governor Fayemi and his wife, Bisi; for driving the state to safe abode and repositioning the state to make it come tops in the committee of states of the federation.