I will run for governor, says Fayemi

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has finally broken his silence on his perceived governorship ambition.

He said he would run for Ekiti State No.1 seat, but would visit the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to declare his ambition from April 14.

Fayemi said the declaration will be made once Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifts ban on campaign.

The minister, who was in office between October 2010 and October 2014, said interest in the race was not debatable, but he won’t flout the law by declaring his intent when INEC was yet to lift ban on campaign.

The ex-governor, who addressed a briefing on his ambition at his Isan-Ekiti country home yesterday, said everything constitutionally, legally and legitimately possible would be done to ensure an APC victory at the poll.

He said: “Do you need a rocket scientist to tell you that I am running? I was very clear that I am a process person, I am not going to jump the gun because there are rules and guidelines for electioneering.

“The body responsible for that has stated the obvious when people can start campaign. The fact that people are  flouting the guidelines is a fault of INEC and the electoral body is not taking them up on it.

“That is my own attitude to it and at the appropriate time, I will tell my party because this is purely a party matter, it is not a public matter yet.

“So, I don’t really understand the level of curiosity whether I am running or I am not running. I am very clear that what we have in this state today is not what this state deserves.

“I have always been very clear that whatever it takes constitutionally, legally and legitimately to put our party in office in October, we will do as a party.

“I have also gone ahead to say this meeting (held on Saturday) is our usual gathering; it is not a place to declare the intention to run, but as to whether I am running or not, I am running.

“That is not debatable but I am a process person, I am not going to flout the law. You will know, you will all be invited when I decide to formally declare within the ambit of the guideline issued by INEC.”

Fayemi earlier hosted party leaders from the ward to state levels to a quarterly meeting on Saturday, but did not publicly declare intent to run for governor at the gathering.

He said at the meeting: “INEC has just released election notice.

They said public campaign begins in Ekiti State on April 14. Let’s wait till then, whether we are sure of ourselves or not, we will know.”

At the meeting, Fayemi said he had learnt his lessons following the loss of power to Governor Ayo Fayose in 2014.

He implored those party he offended to forgive him, saying he had forgiven those who offended him.

The minister said leaders had assured him of a transparent, free and fair primary election, adding that the winner will be supported to win the main election.

He said Fayose can’t threaten him with White Paper, noting that he has a red card to show him at the election.

Fayemi urged APC members to hold their red cards in one hand and permanent voter cards in the other hand.

He appealed to supporters of governorship aspirants to stop running down others on the social media, urging them to market their principals.

The minister stressed that election is not won on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms, but at the polling units.