Politics
“I Will Not Disappoint Ekiti People” — Fayemi
THE Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday, promised that his government would not fail the people of the state.
He said that his administration, has no reason to fail the people of the state considering the experience he had garnered as a former Governor of the State, which he said gave him deep knowledge about the state.
Fayemi also nursed the fear about the possibility of the Debt Management Office, DMO, under-declaring the state’s debt under Governor Ayodele Fayose, saying he would probe into the issue to be able to get first-hand information about the state’s fiscal strength to guide him when assuming office.
He said this after inaugurating the Kayode Fayemi/APC Governorship Transition Committee, headed by Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi in Ado Ekiti.
The 32-member committee is to interface with the present government and dialogue with other interest groups on how his government can hit the ground running when inaugurated on October 16.
He said: “Let me say this, neither my Deputy Governor-elect, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi and myself consider ourselves as having a repository of knowledge or have answers to all Ekiti problems, so we are relying on your wealth of experiences.”
“In your report, tell us those things we should not lay our hands on at all. Also endeavour to indicate those things we can do to have immediate impacts on our people when we assume office, which is the most important thing to the incoming government.
“If you look at the configuration of this committee, we have more financial experts with deep knowledge of fiscal issues. There are four former Commissioners because finance is the main thing in Ekiti on the premise that our situations have worsened than we left it on October 2014.
“Our people are in a serious mess, poverty has risen and we have to move fast and ameliorate their sufferings.
“I want to appeal to the present government, particularly the Ekiti workers to cooperate with the committee in the spirit of patriotism.
They should think more about Ekiti interest than that of any individual.
“I see no reason why Fayose’s government would not want to cooperate with you because this was what we did in 2014 and which the whole Nigeria commended.”
Politics
Ondo guber: Obi, NLC ruined my chances of winning, says LP candidate
Ayodele Olorunfemi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Ondo governorship election, says Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.
On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the poll.
The governor secured 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs to defeat his closest rival Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
The LP candidate secured 1,162 votes, finishing fifth from bottom in the 17-candidate off-cycle election.
On the eve of the election, INEC substituted Olusola Ebiseni with Olorunfemi.
On September 27, the federal high court in Abuja directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as the LP candidate.
The party appealed the ruling, and the appellate court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction.
The umpire said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as the LP candidate in line with the court judgment.
“The commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the court of appeal which set aside the judgment of the federal high court (FHC), Abuja division,” the statement reads.
“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election, and uploaded the same to our website for public information.”
In the buildup to the election, Obi endorsed Ebiseni and described him as “someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice”.
“It is this conviction that propelled me to travel by road to Ondo state yesterday to campaign alongside our Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sola Ebiseni — a candidate I believe possesses the competence and capacity to govern the State effectively,” Obi said.
‘THEY SCUTTLED MY ASPIRATION’
Speaking with PUNCH, Olorunfemi alleged that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid.
He admitted that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.
“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” Olorunfemi said.
“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.
“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.
“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”
Olorunfemi admitted that he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh”.
Politics
‘He wanted me to succeed him’ — Aiyedatiwa dedicates victory to Akeredolu
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo state governor-elect, says he wishes Rotimi Akeredolu, his late principal, was alive to witness his victory.
Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of Ondo, secured victory in all 18 LGAs, garnering 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
Aiyedatiwa took over the leadership of the state after Akeredolu died from protracted prostate cancer in 2023.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television after his victory, Aiyedatiwa said Akeredolu wanted him as his successor.
“How I wish he was present in that banquet hall when I was declared in the company of other brother governors. That would have been really good, but God knows better,” he said.
“It is so sad and painful that he didn’t live to see the manifestation of what he himself spoke about. I do refer to him sometimes as the man who saw tomorrow.
“He knew that I was going to succeed him as governor. He knew because he wanted me to and was ready to give me the full backing.”
Politics
Aiyedatiwa takes commanding lead in Ondo guber poll after winning 15 of 18 LGAs
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, is well ahead of his compatriots in the Ondo governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the announcement of the results at midnight on Saturday.
So far, results from 15 local government areas (LGAs) have been announced, with three outstanding.
Aiyedatiwa has polled 268,144 votes so far, while Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured 79,125 votes and Abbas Mimiko of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has won 2,365.
The APC candidate, who is the incumbent governor, has won in all the 15 LGAs, including the strongholds of his challengers.
Results from Ilaje, Ese-Odo and Odigbo LGAs are still being expected at the collation centre.
The collation exercise was adjourned till 12pm by the INEC returning officer for the election.
Meanwhile, on the INEC result viewing portal, 99 percent of the governorship election results have been uploaded.
The election, which took place on Saturday, was largely peaceful and devoid of violence in most parts of the state.
However, journalists and civil society organisations observed several cases of vote trading.
“This situation has continued unabatedly and heightened in this election. It is worrying that, despite the high presence of security personnel at the polling units, vote trading went on openly unchecked during the voting hours,” the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room said in its preliminary assessment.
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