- President Buhari has said that the minister of mines and steel has all it takes to win the Ekiti governorship seat
- According to President Buhari, Fayemi is a reformist with penchant for promoting welfare of the ordinary people
- The minister is also expected to tender his resignation letter to the president later this week
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, May 13, congratulated the minister of mines and steel development, Kayode Fayemi.
The president said the track record in Ekiti state would increase his chances of winning the July 14, governorship election in Ekiti state.
Reacting to Fayemi's victory at the just concluded All Progressives Congress primaries in Ekiti state, the president said Fayemi has all it takes to win election in the state.
READ ALSO: Fayemi visits 15 defeated governorship aspirants in Ekiti as he receives confidence vote from Buhari
A statement signed by the senior special assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, described Fayemi as a reformist, with penchant for promoting welfare of the ordinary people.
Shehu said: “President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates former governor of Ekiti State and Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi, for winning the APC ticket to contest the July 14, 2018 governorship elections.
“President Buhari commends all the participants in the keenly contested primary, who passionately worked hard to serve the state as governor, urging them to keep upholding the values and philosophy of the party by supporting the APC candidate in the forthcoming elections.
“President Buhari believes that Fayemi’s track record in the state as a reformist, with a penchant for building educational infrastructure and promoting the welfare of the ordinary people, will bolster his chances at the forthcoming polls.
“The President notes that the successful primary in the state, with more than 30 aspirants, further validates the credentials of the APC on internal democracy, and its preparedness to take the country to another level of development.” he said.
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Punch reports that the minister will tender his resignation letter to the president this week.
Fayemi had earlier being granted one-month leave by the president to enable him particpate in the Ekiti APC primary elections.
Sources said the late open declaration of his ambition to run for governorship in Ekiti state nearly cost the minister the party ticket.
“Fayemi will be in Abuja either on Monday or early Tuesday to submit his letter of resignation to President Muhammadu Buhari. Though he could still remain in office till June, at least a month before the election, he needs to be on the ground in Ekiti earlier than that.
“Remember that his late declaration for the position worked against him during the primary as many of his supporters had already started working for other aspirants. Because they had declared their loyalty to these aspirants, it was very difficult for the minister to ask them to return.
“But this time round and having emerged as the party’s candidate, we want all of them to return and that can only be achieved when Fayemi returns home fully to take charge," the source added.
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that Fayemi had visited 14 other defeated governorship aspirants in Ekiti state. The minister during the visit said he planned to appoint the contestants into the advisory council of the the state's election.
Fayemi also expressed expressed optimism that the party would go into the July 14 poll as a united entity.
President Buhari on 2019 presidential election: will you vote for him? on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng
